Orion's Gate battle report - 24 points

I decided to try a bigger game of Orion's Gate (Orion's Gate), with Capitol Ships on both sides.  The match is between the Void Orcs and the Star League.

The Star League:  Capitol Ship, Battleship, 2 Cruisers, 2 Squadrons

 The Star League's Capitol Ship is outfitted with 2 Cannons (forward arc), Hangar, Torpedo (forward arc), and Giga Cannons (one left arc and one right arc).  Their Battleship has a Missile Cluster, Hangar, and Torpedo.  Both Cruisers are armed with Plasma Cannons.

The Void Orcs:  Capitol Ship, Battleship, 2 Cruisers, 2 Squadrons

 The Void Orcs' Capitol Ship has a Viral Ram, Warp Drive, Shields, Hangar, and Giga Cannons (one left arc and one right arc).  The Battleship has a Viral Ram, Plasma Cannon, and Hangar.  Both Cruisers use Missile Clusters.

An asteroid field is the spot of the impending battles.  The three larger asteroids are Blocking Terrain, the rest are Obscuring Terrain.

The lower Void Orc Cruiser is able to destroy one of the Star League Squadrons, the other ships jockey for better positions and firing lanes.

The Void Orc Capitol Ship uses its Warp Drive to pop in closer.

The Orc and League Squadrons around the center asteroid were destroyed, as was the lower Star League Cruiser.

The Star League Battleship advances, trying to unload its arsenal on both Void Orc Cruisers and Battleship.  Meanwhile, the Orc Capitol Ship warps behind the League Cruiser and shoots its short-range weapons at the opposing Capitol Ship.

The Star League Cruiser jumps forward and shoots the Void Orc Battleship from behind, just before it rams full speed into the League's Battleship.  The Orc Capitol Ship pivots 90 degrees and rams the League Capitol Ship.

The last round ends in calamity.  The last Star League Cruiser is destroyed by a Void Orc Cruiser.  The League Battleship blasts away the other Orc Cruiser, just before the Void Orc Battleship rams into it, destroying both ships!  The Orc Capitol Ship rams the League's, damaging both.

The Star League scrapyard.  Only their Capitol Ship remained (missing one component).

The Void Orc scrapyard.  Survivors were one Squadron, one Cruiser (with damaged component), and the Capitol Ship (which had only two components remaining).

I got to try out the component Warp Drive, which I thought was pretty neat.  I imagine seeing a Capitol Ship just pop out of nowhere and throwing out lots of close-ranged firepower would be terrifying.  The Viral Ram is guaranteed to damage a target.

I need to house-rule some boarding party rules (boarding torpedoes, teleportation, etc.) and racial benefits.  Might design some Eldar or Necron type ships as well.

Orion's Gate - Orky fleet

While I was still on the creative warpath, I thought I would go ahead and draw up a fleet of ships to commemorate my favorite greenskin Orks.  As I contemplate how to flesh them out for Orion's Gate (gotta have red paint in there somewhere, and boarding actions, and spiky bits, etc.), I wonder if I should expand my collection into other type factions; Necrons, Eldar, Tau, Tyranids, or make something up (Cthulhu tentacle things and otherworldly creatures, or retro 70's rockets kinda like Flash Gordon).

An Orky fleet and some more asteroids.  Left to right:  Capitol Ships (Space Hulks), Battleships (Battle Kroozers), Cruisers (Kroozers), and Squadrons (Fighta-bombas).

Got quite a bit completed in just one day.  Three fleets and a bunch of asteroids.  Though, I could combine the grey fleets versus the Orky fleet for one massive space battle.  Not sure how difficult that would be to play out.....tempting though.

My favorite part about all of this, all the ships and asteroids fit in one small ziplock bag.  How often can you fit all your units and terrain into a little baggy? 

Orion's Gate - a battle report

I have decided to make my own ships.  The previous ones were difficult to distinguish between types.  As well, I made some asteroids and changed up a couple components for my battleships.

I'm calling the dark grey ships the Omega Fleet and the light grey ships the Alpha Fleet.  From left to right, I made:  a Capitol Ship, 2 Battleships, 2 Cruisers, and 2 Squadrons.  Then a handful of asteroids for terrain.

Alpha Fleet has 2 Squadrons (fighters), 2 Cruisers (Cannons), and a Battleship (Missile Cluster left arc, Missile Cluster right arc, and  Giga Cannon forward).

Omega Fleet has 2 Squadrons (fighters), 2 Cruisers (Plasma Cannons), and a Battleship (Tractor Beam, Hangar [I consider it a Point-Defense-System and not swarm of fighters], and a Viral Ram).

Omega Fleet is to the left, asteroids in the middle, and Alpha Fleet to the right.

Squadrons from both fleets maneuver around asteroids to get better positions.

Omega's Cruisers advance and are able to damage Alpha's Cruiser #2.

Both Battleships move forward.  Omega's Battleship uses its Tractor Beam to pull in Alpha Cruiser #1.

Round 2, both Alpha Squadrons swing around asteroids to shoot at the rear of the Omega Squadrons.  But only Omega Squadron #2 is destroyed.

Omega Squadron #1 pivots 180 degrees and blasts Alpha Squadron #2.  Cruisers exchange fire.  Alpha Cruiser #2 destroys one of the Omega Cruisers but is destroyed by the other.  Alpha Cruiser #1 is able to shoot and damage the Omega Battleship.

Battleships advance.  Alpha Battleship fires its main guns and Giga Cannon at the remaining Omega Cruiser, but does no damage.  Then the Alpha Battleship unloads all three Missile Clusters from its right arc at the Omega Battleship.  All hit, no damage.  The Omega Battleship rams the last Alpha Cruiser and destroys it.

A cat and mouse game occurs as the battleships circle the central asteroid.  The last Alpha Squadron is destroyed by the final Omega Squadron.  Alpha Battleship finishes off the last Omega Cruiser and Squadron.

The Omega Battleship, last of its fleet, uses its Tractor Beam to draw in the Alpha Battleship, then unloads its main guns and uses its point-defense-system (Hangar) to finish off one component and damage a second.  End of Round 4, technically Omega Fleet has won.  All ships except Battleships are destroyed.  But the Alpha Battleship is far more damaged than Omega.

Technically match is over but I decided to play a Round 5 to see if the Alpha Battleship could escape to tell the tale of their loss.  As the Omega Battleship activated last on Round 4, they get to activate first for Round 5.  So naturally the Omega Battleship rammed Alpha.  This of course finished off the second component for the already crippled ship.  

But for Alpha Battleship, they engage maximum speed to escape certain destruction.

This battle was more enjoyable than the previous.  There was a lot more jockeying for position and trying to line up for shots.  Ramming ships is devastating and quite satisfying.  I would like to try a larger battle, with a Capitol Ship perhaps.  Maybe with more asymmetrical fleet compositions (all Cruisers, all Battleships, etc.). 

As well, I think I need to draw up some Ork-like ships, with spikes and ramming prows, to give these pedestrian fleets something to deal with.  Still, the game was fun and interesting enough to try another match.

Orion's Gate - playtest

A fleet has been prepared and dispatched to a strategic location only to encounter a rival fleet waiting for them.  Ships maneuver into position for the inevitable clash of steel and firepower.

Alpha Fleet

Omega Fleet

Picture won't rotate.  But Alpha is at top (left) and Omega is at bottom (right).

Picture still not rotated.  Omega's Squadrons moved up to shoot at Alpha's Squadrons, but missed.  So Alpha's continued on to snipe at Omega's Cruisers.

Cruisers exchanged fire.  Alpha's Cruiser managed to sink a torpedo into one of Omega's.

Both Battleships advance.  Lots of firepower unleashed but little damage.

One of the Omega Squadrons defeated by Alpha's.

Alpha's Cruiser, damaged by a previous Omega Squadron attack, decided to inflict a lethal strike on the tough Omega Battleship.  The ramming action would unfortunately destroy the ramming Cruiser.

So the Omega Battleship rammed the Alpha's, damaging both.

Alpha's battleship locked on all weapons and finished off the Omega's.  The lone Omega Squadron abandoned the fight.

One Page Rules - Orion's Gate

I've noticed I like game rules.  Not sure why, but I like to collect tabletop and roleplaying games.  I may never play the game, ever, but I'll still collect it and read it and look at the pictures and then shelf it for eternity.  But they always leave an imprint of some kind; something that lingers in the depths of my subconscious waiting to be released.  For example, I like starship battles.  I've played video games where you are a fighter taking on other fighters, or you are controlling a fleet of ships taking on other fleets.  Perhaps its because I'm a Navy guy, I like ships blowing up other ships, even in space.  Anyways, a friend of mine introduced me to Full Thrust by Ground Zero Games.  He even demoed a game with me and showed me how in depth the game is, with all these rules and things you can upgrade and just how crammed the book is with starship stuff.  Needless to say, I was not interested in that game at the time (I was more into 40k in those days).

So I've been looking into One Page Rules recently.  For example my previous post was about their rules called WarStuff, which I'll be testing out again soon.  But I've also felt my interest peaked with Orion's Gate, a spaceship warfare game (https://onepagerules.wordpress.com/portfolio/orions-gate/).  Right now it still seems to be in development, but it had a neat cover art and I felt the need to get some starships to push around.  

Searching the mighty Google, I came across a page of ships that ought to work for this endeavor.

Battlefleet Gothic Imperial ships

And thus, I glued them to cardboard and cut them out.  Please ignore the horrific cutting, my kids have hidden our scissors and I had to rely on a pair of dull child-proof scissors.

I separated them into vaguely four different categories for Orion's Gate.  I imagine I'll be tweaking them later as needed.

Hopefully soon I'll be able to dive into a game or two of Orion's Gate and see how it plays out.  I've got a few ideas of my own, house rules you could say, to modify the current state of the game.  I've posted them up on the forum:  http://onepagerules.proboards.com/thread/275/faq-errata?page=2&scrollTo=2048.

Stay tuned for some starship battles in the near future.