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War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/29 11:03:01


Post by: ingtaer



Campaign Introduction.
Welcome to a blast from the past, a campaign for Mongoose’s A Call to Arms – Babylon 5 version 2. I hope to try and keep this updated as the campaign progresses and show the trials and tribulations of the players as they attempt system wide domination. This campaign is being played by players in four countries (NZ, OZ, UK and USA) over a tabletop emulator, where photos are shown they are of my models and are posed in situ but may not exactly fit the actual events that took place (nor even the actual ships that took part...).

Fluff introduction.
Note: if you are a fluff purist don’t read! If you really must complain then please write out your issues and hit the x at the top right of the window.

In the year 2259 the Dark Angel of Drafa, a plague that the intensely religious Markab believed was caused by immorality, swept through the Markab civilization. Due to its negative connotations of impurity and degeneration people infected by the plague sought to conceal the fact and the Markab species as a whole fought to hide their shame. This religious intolerance caused the extinction of the entire Markab species, over two billion souls on four worlds died.

The year is now 2260 and four races are moving in on the Markab sector for their own different reasons.

The Anla’shok, what humans would come to know as the rangers feared that the plague was a weapon of the great enemy, the shadows, and moved into the system to monitor it in case the ancient foe returned. Untested so far in battle and unknown to the lesser races the Whitestar fleet was about to get its baptism in fire and blood.

The Narn regime had been largely destroyed by the Centauri, their fleets had been scattered or annihilated and homeworld itself had been subjected to a mass orbital bombardment until the Kha’Ri were forced to surrender. Not all Narn accepted the surrender however and a fleet under the command of G’Stis sought refuge amongst the bones of the Markab species in order to regain their strength and plunder new technologies to use against their hated foes.

The year 2260 marked a resurgence in the fortunes of the so-called ‘Lion of the Galaxy’, the Centauri Republic had gone from strength to strength, destroying its foes on every front and subjecting the barbarian Narn to slavery again. Several houses in the Centaurum sent their house fleets to see what resources they could scavenge from the extinct Markab, finding a Narn fleet already in system blood would surely follow.

In the early days of Human interstellar travel when new challenges and foes appeared at every turn only one race sought to deal honorably and fairly with them, the Markab were an intensely religious and moral people and ferocious fighters. During the Dilgar War it was due to the felines’ invasion of Markab that Humanity engaged in their first interstellar war, driving the Dilgar back to their home and keeping them pinned there until their sun went nova. Now the Markab had died and the Earth Alliance was ruled by a tyrant who had assassinated his predecessor and anti-alien hysteria was rife. However seeing the bones of their oldest allies being picked over by scavengers and grave robbers the EA felt the last stirrings of honour and sent a fleet to guard the system, the fact that it was comprised of crews of dubious loyalty was merely a bonus…



Before starting the players made several rules to keep us on the same page;
Spoiler:

1. Initiative sinking is not allowed.
2. Stations are not allowed above Battle Level.
3. Players would use 2x 5pt Battle fleets rather than 1x 10pt (mostly to save me money…)
4. No Ancients would be used except for narrative reasons.
5. No free ships from R&R are allowed.
6. No games would be played below 5pt Skirmish and none above 5pt Battle.
7. No in service dates will be used.
8. Rules are from ACTA v2 with some fixes from P&P and Burgers beams.


The fleets selected for the campaign are in spoiler below;
Spoiler:

EA- Start of the third age.
1x Omega. 1 Battle
2x Hyperions. 1 Battle.
1x Omega. 1 Battle.
1x Nova, 1x Hyperion. 1 Battle.
1x Oracle, 2x Olympus. 1 Battle.
15x Fighter flights.


ISA.
1x Tara’lin. 2 Battle.
2x Whitestar. 1 Battle.
2x Whitestar 2. 1 Battle.
2x Whitestar. 1 Battle.
1x Flyer. 6x Nial.


Narn.
1x G’Quan. 1 Battle.
1x Dag’Kar, 2x T’Rakk. 1 Battle.
1x G’Quan. 1 Battle.
1x G’Karith, 1x Thentus, 1x Sho’Kar. 1 Battle.
2x Var’Nic.. 1 Battle.
10x Frazi flights.


Centauri.
1x Primus. 1 Battle.
1x Dargan. 1 Battle.
1x Sullust, 2x Vorchan. 1 Battle.
1x Alatarian, 2x Vorchan. 1 Battle.
2x Maximus, 1x Balvarin. 1 Battle.
10x Sentri, 2 x Rutarian.



It is to be noted that the models are in the process of being painted and based bear with me as I paint slow!

So the pre campaign is done join me for part two when stuff starts exploding;


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/29 16:49:31


Post by: Tamereth


Can't wait to see those fleets painted. I really should get around to painting more of my acta stuff.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/29 21:28:46


Post by: Pacific


This is immensely cool!

Look forward to seeing some ships painted and progress with the campaign, battle reports etc.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/30 01:10:10


Post by: ingtaer


n815e wrote:Nice.


Lets hope so!

Tamereth wrote:Can't wait to see those fleets painted. I really should get around to painting more of my acta stuff.


You obviously havent seen my painting before! And yes you really should, your gallery is quite empty, what have you got?

Pacific wrote:This is immensely cool!

Look forward to seeing some ships painted and progress with the campaign, battle reports etc.


Chur, progress is progressing! We have played upto campaign turn three so far. Just waiting on some paint and a better camera to flesh out the reports.

Which leads me to a question for people, would you prefer to read a battle report from an in universe narrative perspective or not? I thought not initially but it seems rather dull.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/30 04:01:22


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


At least some description in-universe would be nice for flavor.

Will there be rules for a Bonehead Maneuver?


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/30 04:57:18


Post by: Ctaylor


You had me at B5... everything else is just gravy. Tasty gravy.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/30 16:12:25


Post by: warboss


Cool and subscribed. I used to play B5 FA with a close friend back in the day and miss it.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/30 21:56:44


Post by: Stormonu


I’m not familiar with this system, but intrugued to hear more.

Are there two scales to the system? I’m confused why the star fury fighters seem so large.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/30 22:52:47


Post by: ingtaer


BobtheInquisitor wrote:At least some description in-universe would be nice for flavor.

Will there be rules for a Bonehead Maneuver?


Sort of like how GW used to do reports? Fluff bookending the report?
No to bonehead, would serve no purpose. I do have a surprise for anyone who gets to big for their boots though.

Ctaylor wrote:You had me at B5... everything else is just gravy. Tasty gravy.


I have no idea what this means, but I presume its good!

warboss wrote:Cool and subscribed. I used to play B5 FA with a close friend back in the day and miss it.


Good stuff, hope you dont overload on nostalgia.

Stormonu wrote:I’m not familiar with this system, but intrugued to hear more.

Are there two scales to the system? I’m confused why the star fury fighters seem so large.


There are indeed mate (left overs from the B5 Wars game and the smaller fleet Action game), the closer inscale fighters (pic below) are far too small for my old eyes to make out. As with most space games the scale of the tokens is pretty irrelevant and it is only base/stems that matter. In this instance I am using one larger fighter to represent an entire squadron. If you have any questions feel free to ask!


Should have camera by tomorrow so will get the first couple of turns reports up by the weekend hopefully.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/01/30 23:00:06


Post by: warboss


 Stormonu wrote:
I’m not familiar with this system, but intrugued to hear more.

Are there two scales to the system? I’m confused why the star fury fighters seem so large.


Yeah, in the old minis lines (first Agents of Gaming then Mongoose iirc) there were two scales, the larger original B5 wars scale (which I think ACTA used later) and the smaller fleet action scale. I personally preferred the fighters from the latter regardless of which scale the ships were. They just looked more impressive to me although the painting options were quite limited (generally one base color and then a few tiny edges picked up with other colors) due to the size.


https://agents-of-gaming.myshopify.com/collections/fleet-action-earth-alliance-miniatures/products/fleet-action-earth-alliance-thunderbolt-attack-fighter-6

These are the same fighters as in the middle rows on the OP's pic. I liked the tiny size enough that I planned to use them with my Halo Fleet battles ships before that product line and company imploded.





War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/02/10 10:09:51


Post by: ingtaer



Finally after much delay, trials and tribulations (okay getting a new camera and bashing my head against it until it nearly works) I can update this! I know you have all been eagerly checking in daily hoping for some shaky photos and badly written prose and now the time has come! I will note here that we decided before the campaign began that all players would secretly note down their chosen targets each turn and we would all reveal them at the same time to prevent anyone trying to gain the system.

Bookkeeping
Spoiler:

Before writing up this update I contacted the other three playes to get hold of their rosters so I could post them here thinking that they would have gone all out coming up with some really cool names for their fleets, maybe some fluff pieces, well that didnt happen... Though Kudos to the EA player as they actually put some real thought into naming stuff. Below are the fleet lists with the crew quality of the ship next to it;
ISA.
Tara’lin - Dogato, 6.
Ashan’Ta. 6.
Whitestar 1 - 4. 5.
5. 6.
6. 4.
7. 4.
8. 5.
9. 6.
10. 6.
11. 4.
Whitestar 2 - 12. 4.
13. 6.
14. 6.
15. 6.

Narn.
G’Quan 11, 5.
12, 5.
21, 5.
22. 6.
Dag”kar 11, 4.
21. 4.
T’Rakk 11, 4.
12, 4.
21, 3.
22. 4.
G’Karith 11, 5.
21. 3.
Thentus 11, 3.
21. 4.
Sho’Kar 11, 4.
21. 5.
Var’Nic 11, 5.
12, 4.
21, 4.
22. 4.

Centauri.
Primus A1, 4.
B1. 4.
Dargan A1, 6.
B1. 4.
Sullust A1, 5.
B1. 3.
Alatarian A1, 3.
B1. 4.
Balvarin A1, 5.
B1. 5.
Maximus A1, 3.
A2, 5.
B1, 4.
B2. 6.
Vorchan A1. 4.
A2, 4.
A3, 6.
A4, 6.
B1, 4.
B2, 5.
B3, 5.
B4. 4.

EA.
Omega – Larissa, 5.
Lindus, 4.
Tanais, 4.
Tyras. 6.
Nova – Charon, 4.
Cronos. 5.
Hyperion - Cherokee rose, 4.
Calendula, 3.
Godetia, 5.
Gilia, 4.
Shasta, 4.
Saponaria. 4.
Oracle – Pythia, 6.
Dodona. 4.
Olympus – Ilias, 3.
Enipeas, 4.
Litochoro, 4.
Ziliana. 3.

That wasnt at all tedious to type out, cheers again guys for those awesome names!


Turn 1

The year is 2260, the place is the Markab sector.
Throughout the system the shimmering blue vortices of hyperspace exit points opened and closed, each funnel disgorging its complement of warships as the four fleets raced to gain the initiative and seize the most vital assets for themselves.


The first turn of the campaign was over as quickly as it had begun as each player placed a different target as their main priority. The first to arrive in system was the Whitestar fleet who quickly seized the Jump Gate in an attempt to stop anyother race or raiders fleet from entering the system, swiftly following them the Earth Alliance's fleet jumped directly into orbit of the former Markab Homeworld of Septis, whilst the Narn began their campaign by acquiring the Theocratic Shipyards and the Centauri occupied the Industrial world of Septis II.

So at the end of a very quick and dull first turn the campaign looked like this;
ISA- Jumpgate. 23RR
Narn- Shipyard. 20RR
Centauri- Septis II. 26RR
EA- Septis. 23RR

Next we have turn 2, where stuff actually blows up?


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/02/10 13:14:44


Post by: ingtaer


Turn 2
After the pure unadulterated boredom of the first turn everyone was hoping for rather better this turn, luckily boredom wasn't going to be a problem.
The players all revealed their chosen targets, Earth decided they were going to occupy the molten world of Septis I, the Narn and Centauri both chose to attack Septis IV and the Anla'Shok stunned everyone by declaring they were going to attack Septis itself where the EA had made their base.


Game 1, ISA vs EA

So the very first game of the campaign would be the ISA vs EA! The ISA as the attacking player rolled on the mission and priority tables and it was decided that the game would be a 3pt Battle level Assassination.

Selecting forces and deployment.
Earth Alliance. As the defender in the scenario the EA fleet would be deploying first and its highest priority level ship would be the target of the Assassination. The EA player chose as their flagship the Omega Class destroyer 'Larissa', accompanied by the First Fleet's, First Cruiser Squadron 'Cherokee Rose', 'Godetia' and 'Shasta', all Hyperion Class Cruisers and in order to provide more fighter cover as well as brutal close range firepower the Nova Class Dreadnought 'Charon'. The fleet was arrayed in the centre of their deployment zone with the Hyperions in line abreast and the 'Charon' and 'Larissa' echeloned covering the planetside flank.


ISA - The ISA player made a very controversial choice in selecting his fleet, all players were expecting a fleet of six Whitestars to take to space but instead only two and the mighty Tara'Lin Dogato were used. The ISA player's reasoning was that he needed the extra fighters, command bonus and range of the Dogato more than he needed the speed of the Whitestars. This tiny fleet was deployed crammed into the bottom edge of their deployment zone with the planet between them and the EA fleet, the Tara'Lin closest to the planet and Whitestars 4 and 5 nearer the board edge.



Turn 1
"This is the EAS Larissa to approaching unknown vessels, the Markab System is under quarantine and no vessels may approach. Turn around and leave before your ships are boarded and confiscated". Captain Jessup's voice was calm and steady as he watched the pair of unknown craft approach on the main tactical display. He had never heard of anything like them and the computers did not recognise them, small like cutters, but sleek and so fast! Behind the gravity well of Septis the battle tracking system was identifying something else. Something a lot bigger, but the computers couldn't even get a silhouette of it.
"Jessup to all ships, power up and take stations above Septis, launch all fighters. Deny these invaders and turn them back, no more shall vultures pick over the bones of our Markab friends!" With the order given the five capital ships turned in towards the gravity well with fighters spitting from their launch bays. Suddenly a vast actinic yellow flash blazed across space and just as suddenly the 'Charon' was burning from stem to stern...

The ISA player won the roll off for the initiative and Whitestars 4 and 5 were sent hurtling down the board edge aiming to outflank the human fleet, the Dogato meanwhile moved slowly toward the planet whilst issuing Scramble orders to launch two flights of Shials.
The EA player moved his fleet as fast as possible towards the planet with the 'Charon' heading directly towards it and the 'Larissa' angling off a little more in order to bring the Whitestars into boresight arc, both ships also issued Scramble orders to get a couple of squadrons each of thunderbolts in the air.
The only firing this turn came from the Dogato who fired their Neutron Laser at extreme range at the 'Charon', the speculative shot slammed into the Earth built Dreadnought and ripped savage holes into its engineering compartment, rupturing fuel lines and decompressing several decks. This single long range attack caused a total of 24 damage (3 critical hits) and 20 crew!


Turn 2
There was nothing but stunned silence on the bridge as they watched the 'Charon' burn, though no one present had fought in the last great war but everyone knew the only race that could perform an attack like that. Finally the Conn Officer breathed the one word that caused terror in any human spacers heart, "Minbari.."
The ISA player retained the initiative with both Whitestars continuing to head towards the opposite board edge in order to get behind the EA whilst the Tara'Lin sedately moved towards Septis and launched the last of her fighters.
The EA played continued to move the Hyperions towards the gravity well, 'Larissa' still tracked the same Whitestar whilst 'Charon' attempted to withdraw from the fighting, though with -4 speed and no action allowed that would be a long job.
After the spectacular shooting of last turn this turn proved lackluster with only minimal damage being inflicted. The Dogato fired on the 'Larissa' and caused minor damage to her thrusters whilst her secondary batteries took out two squadrons of StarFurys. The 'Larissa' in return opened up with her boresighted heavy laser cannons on Whitestar 4 who dodged most of the incoming fire but suffered some damage.


Turn 3
"Sir," the XO's voice quavered "The enemy are coming around and all of their ships are accelerating to attack". Jessup glanced at the plot and saw that despite the spectacular damage that had been inflicted on the 'Charon' his fleet was actually in a very good position. The 'Cherokee Rose' and her sister ships had achieved orbit of Septis and had fanned out in order to ensure that the warcruiser would find itself under the guns of at least one ship and his own vessel now had two prime targets sat in his sights, he couldn't assess who was winning the massive furball of fighters but he felt a sudden surge of confidence in not just surviving but of winning...
Once more the ISA retains the initiative. The 'Charon' limped its way further from the fight whilst the Hyperion squadron assumed orbit over the planet and fanned out their front arcs so that at least one of them one would be able to catch the Dogato with their heavy laser cannons, the 'Larissa' continued closing with the Whitestars. The ISA player surprised everyone once again by suddenly throwing the Tara'lin's engines into Full Ahead and powering forward into close range of the entire EA fleet! Not to be out done the Whitestars came around and charged at the closing Omega Destroyer. This turn could be prove to be decisive.

The firing is opened by the Dogato who, thanks to her madcap dash through the middle of the EA fleet, opened up with neutron lasers and fusion cannons in her front and both side arcs. The 'Larissa' suffered some minor damage and had her thrusters damaged again. A couple of fighter squadrons died under massed beam fighter, the 'Shasta' had her targeting systems shot out and finally the 'Charon' was blasted to pieces with an extra five hits and two criticals that blew the ship to pieces when her ammo stores catastrophically exploded!
In revenge the 'Larissa' finally got to show why Earth Force spent so much money designing and building the Omega class, her main guns ripped into Whitestar 4 whilst her port broadside smashed into the Dogato causing eight solid hits and three crits, damaging her thrusters twice over and also her capacitors (3x -2 her speed and -1 attack dice per gun).
The Whitestars between them caused a little further damage on the 'Larissa' and also shot down three squadrons of fighters, the rest of the EA fleet concentrates their firepower on the Dogato but cause little real damage and their fighters were cut to ribbons by the faster, more advanced ISA designs.


Turn 4
The Larissa lurched again, her damage report boards were in the red for her nearly ever department only her weapons were at full efficiency. The Charon was now nothing but glowing scrap, spiralling down to join the dead Markab, the Earth fighters were scattered, burned and dead. The few remaining birds being hunted by faster and better craft, but the Hyperion squadron was intact and if their scanners could be believed the enemy Warcruiser was badly damaged. Every person on the bridge felt a tingle of excitement as they realised that they could beat a Minbari fleet, not from ambush but in a straight up, stand up battle.
For the first time in the game the EA won the initiative. The two Whitestars performed high energy turns, skidding in space to line their guns up with where they expect the 'Larissa' to drift that turn whilst the Dagota limped further into Septis' gravity well. The EA ships maneuvered to attain firing solutions where possible but with the 'Larissa' having taken so much damage all EA ships opened Jump Points just in case things went bad...
'Larissa' opened the firing on the Dagota further killing crew and setting fires with her rear facing heavy laser cannons, her port weapons blew Whitestar 5s thrusters to pieces and the starboard guns annhilated a squadron of Shials. The Dagota returned the favour by blowing apart the 'Larissa's engines and port weapons which fianlly crippled her, at the same time the Dagota's starboard guns smash into the 'Cherokee Rose' killing half the crew and knocking out her interceptors whilst the 'Rose' caused a major hull breach in return! For the first time in the game the 'Godetia' opened up with her guns in anger, a massive time on target barrage smashing the Dagota's bridge and knocking out her targeting system.
Finally Whitestar 5 opened fire, her main beam weapon slicing deep into the 'Larissa' finding the reactor and ending the ship once and for all.


Conclusion
At the begining of turn 5 the remaing EA ships fled through the jump points that they had formed last turn. The game had been decisivly won by the ISA player who had not only performed his mission to assassinate the Omega Destroyer but had also killed the Nova and caused well over half damage to one of the Hyperions, in return the ISA player had taken damage to all of their ships and the Tara'Lin had been especially badly mauled, ending the game with five critical hits on it. Most importantly though the Earth Alliance had lost a strategic objective which could prove decicive int he campaign.

Hope that was fun for people, Next time we will see how the other battle played out!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/02/12 18:03:45


Post by: Easy E


<---- This guy applauds your efforts.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/03/08 09:11:36


Post by: ingtaer


Thanks Easy E!

WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS NUDITY, IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY UNPAINTED MODELS LOOK AWAY NOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!



After a long enforced delay i am finally updating this thread with the second game of the second turn of the campaign.

Game 2, Narn vs Centauri

The mission was rolled up as a 6pt skirmish A Call to Arms with the Narn defending.

Selecting forces and deployment;
The Narn player decided to go with a fleet of small ships hoping to use multiple activations in order to out maneuver the Centauri fleet or match the Centauri in numbers if they chose to use the expected fleet of Vorchans. The Narn fleet was chosen to have a mix of capabilities, from the long range energy mines of the Dag'Kar to the close in brawling of the T'Rakk. As the Narn were defending they opted to deploy their fleet as far forward as possible in the center of their deployment zone

From left to right; Dag'Kar, Frazi fighter squadron, T'Rakk, Thentus, Frazi fighter squadron and a Var'Nic.

The Centauri player opted against selecting a fleet of Vorchans much to the surprise of every body and instead opted for a Primus battlecruiser and a Balvarian fleet carrier. He thought that even though he would be loosing the maneuvering war the sheer firepower of the Primus combined with the eight squadrons of Sentri fighters that the Balvarian carries would enable him to cripple the smaller Narn ships or stack criticals on the G'Quan he was expecting to face. As had happened with the smaller fleet in the last game the Centauri deployed crammed into the farthest corner of their deployment zone, the Primus in front whilst the carrier lurked behind.

(please note the opposed deployment photo was eaten by the camera).

Turn 1
Lord Tavari swallowed another mouthful of brivari as he stared out of the view ports of his newest Primus class battlecruiser the 'Dunseny', the product of his families shipyards that he was supposed to deliver to the Lord in charge of the fleet that was 'protecting' the Markab system. Joy was spreading through him even faster than the brivari was, his boring delivery was about to get very interesting, a Narn fleet had just been detected on a closing vector. Though he only had a single Balvarian cruiser in company, the 'Surkla', she was filled to the bulkheads with brand new Sentri fighters and against the barbarians that would be enough he decided.

The Centauri gained the initiative in the first turn and lost no time in forming up for an attack, the Primus closed on the Narn's position whilst the Balvarian slowed edged forward whilst half her fighter compliment scrambled into action and formed up in the cold void of space, four more squadrons joining the two from the 'Dunseny' to form a single massive wing. The Narn fleet responded in kind as whilst the Dag'Kar drifted forward as slow as inertia allowed the rest of the fleet threw power into their engines and raced to close the gap with their hated foe.


The only firing in the first turn came from the Dag'kar which launched an energy mine at long range at the shoal of Sentri fighters, the huge burst of energy annihilated every single stand!


Turn 2
A blinding flash of light jerked Lord Tavari half out of his seat, spilling his drink all down his neatly pressed uniform. That had been an energy mine! He couldn't believe that such a small ship carried such a potent weapon, he thought they were reserved for the massive G'Quan heavy cruisers. He pondered the fact that maybe he should have done some research before committing himself and his ships to their first ever battle but in the end decided that the barbarians were too stupid to really care about and his mistress would be most impressed with his first victory.

The Narn gained the imitative in the second turn. Once again the Dag'kar drifted forward as slowly as she could whilst the rest of the fleet sped forward lining themselves up on the Primus and issuing Concentrate all Firepower orders with only the Var'nic failing her command check. The Centauri fleet carrier angled away from the onrushing Narn whilst launching the last of her fighter squadrons, the Primus however felt no need for such discretion and charged forward. The Narn Var'nic opened the firing by slamming an ion torpedo into the 'Dunseny' destroying some power relays and killing a handful of crew. The 'Dunseny' in her turn fired her laser cannons at the T'Rakk with the heavy beams slicing deep and knocking out the port side weapons as well as crushing bulkheads and killing crew.


Turn 3
The glow from the alcohol was now gone. For the first time in his life Lord Tavari knew real fear, the barbarians had not only destroyed most of his fighters but now were shooting at him! What was worse was they were doing damage, the status board next to his command throne was showing damage to many forward sectors and power relays shot out across many decks. He had had the pleasure of watching the massive cannons on the 'Dunseny' hitting back at the spot headed scum racing toward him but they had not annihilated their target like he expected. Trying to compose himself he ordered his ship forward in to closer range. He smiled to himself at last, thinking that at that close range his gunners couldn't miss. He did not consider that held true for his enemy as well...

The Narn fleet retained the initiative and pressed forward once more, the Dag'kar still held back whilst the Var'nic flanked the Centauri. The Centauri for their part carried on as before with the 'Dunseny' charging forward whilst the 'Surkla' maneuvered to avoid the battle. This turn every ship on the mat failed their orders checks except for the Var'nic which concentrated firepower on the Primus. The two fleets' remaining fighter squadrons sped forward to engage in a furball aiming to gain space superiority in the most direct fashion (short of lobbing an e-mine anyway!).

At such close range every ship of both fleets had a target and the firework show began. The Var’Nic opened the firing on the Primus, her main laser cannon missed completely! Whilst her ion torpedo made up for it by causing a catastrophic ammo explosion knocking out all guns in the port arc and blasting chunks out of the enemy hull, her other guns stacked up more damage and destroyed the fighter flight that was covering the Primus.
The 'Dunseny' continued to pound the T'Rakk in her turn with massed laser cannon and ion turret fire savaging the improvised Narn frigate and damaging her thrusters, in her turn the T'Rakk ruptured the fuel systems of the 'Dunseny'. A bright thicket of light lit up space as the remaining ships battered each other but caused no significant damage. The contest between the fighters of both races was ended in brutal fashion as the vastly more maneuverable Sentri fighters ripped apart the heavier Narn machines each brief new star marking another kill.
In the end phase the 'Dunseny' repaired her power relays which had been damaged last turn.

Turn 4
Lord Tavari was getting more and more agitated as his ship rang with the impact of enemy weapons fire. Despite all the firepower he had thrown at the Narn amazingly their ships will still there! Not only that but they still seemed to be firing at full intensity. He decided that he didn't like battle in the least and if he survived he was going to do his best to never go near one again, the trick though was going to be to survive. He ordered both his ships to flee as fast as possible and calculated that he only had to weather a couple of minutes firing whilst his jump engines warmed up and he could escape into the void of hyperspace.

Turn 4 looked like it would prove to be decisive as both fleets were now intermingled and at the closest of ranges. The Centauri gained the initiative but made their intention instantly clear as both ships moved as fast as possible away from the Narn and opened jump points to flee the field next turn. The Narn sensing that the battle was theirs charged forward once more, with the Var'nic swinging into the Primus' rear arc whilst the T'Rakk and Thentus tried to close with the Balvarian on the fringes of the conflict.


Fearing that it would be destroyed if he waited the Centauri played ordered the 'Dunseny' to open the firing. He need not of worried though as his now practiced forward gunners picked up the Dag'kar in the black of space (probably due to the lack of a paint job) and in one massed barrage totally destroyed the up until then untouched ship! The main cannons themselves caused four critical hits through massed beam fire. Whilst the Dag'kar died in her forward arc the Primus'fired her rear weapons at the T'Rakk she had been shooting at all game, this time with telling execution as a massive hull breach was caused before a massive catastrophic explosion ripped the frigate apart from the inside. In all the 'Dunseny' caused enough damage to kill the T'Rakk twice over. The Narn's return fire was desultory and whilst it wracked up ore damage it was by now too little, too late.


The game was all but over now as over the next two turns the Narn turned tail and fled the battle as fast as their engines allowed!



Conclusion
No one could have anticipated that when the Centauri ships opened their jump points to flee that they would win the battle on the very next turn! A very swingy kind of game that the Narn played could still have won as his Var'nic was so far untouched and behind the very badly damaged Primus battlecruiser, however he lost his nerve after half his fleet was destroyed in one turns shooting! This game also showed that with the very basic weapons available on the Narn ships they really struggled to deal with the good armour and huge damage pool of the Primus and that maybe closing to point blank range might not have been the best of ideas.

So after the campaigns second turn we have a very clear separation between the players with both the Centauri and ISA in command of two valuable strategic targets and the Narn and EA each having one less worthwhile one. What will happen in campaign turn 3?

Hope that was fun, please feel free to leave comments and critique (unless its about the lack of paint, or the poor photography, or the...)


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/03/13 16:45:25


Post by: Easy E


Wow, that turned quickly.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/03/16 06:22:34


Post by: ingtaer


Just goes to show how important keeping your nerve is! Also that its worth rereading your rules as the Narn player was blissfully unaware that the Dag'kar has only an armour of 4 (most Narn are 6) and so it dies very easily. In retrospect he should have just kept it at maximum range chucking e-mines at the Centauri...

Hope to get turn three up by the end of the weekend where we determine once and for all who has the biggest and scariest ship.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/04/02 01:48:07


Post by: ingtaer


Sorry for the long delay, I was endeavouring to get some paint splashed on or at least near some models! Managed to get both G'Quans to a reasonable standard and my last Omega and two of three Hyperions done to a passable level.



Turn 3 will be up by the end of day tomorrow so stay tuned.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/04/02 11:45:22


Post by: ingtaer



So finally the update that no one has been waiting for, game three of the War for the Markab System. I have decided to forgo the fluff text due to the nature of this game.

Campaign turn 3, Cruiser clash.

At the start of the turn the players assign their fleet a target. In turn 3 first the Narn, then the Centauri and finally the EA all decided to attack the ISA held Markab homeworld! Rather than play the games out sequentially we decided instead to play a four way game where every player takes only their biggest ships (the game was 2pt battle In order to allow the ISA to have a ship at all.)
So in the pink corner we have the ISA Tara’lin class Ashan’ta. In the red corner the Narn bought along 2 G’Quan Heavy cruisers the Karith and G’lann. In the orange corner the EA Omega class destroyers Lindus and Tyrus, and finally in the green corner the Centauri fleet consisted of the Primus Maruelia and Dargan Senna.

Deployment.
The Centauri deployed in the 2 O'clock position with the Dargan closer to the planet and both a squadron of sentris and of Rutarian flying CAP, the ISA deployed at the four O'clock with the minbari flyer along side the Tara'lin, the Narn had two squadrons of Frazis accompying their G'Quans at the eight O'clock and finally the Earth Alliance deployed in the 10 oclock position with a couple of starfury squadrons launched.


Turn 1.
With much metaphorical nudging and winking the Centauri fleet thinking it had allies on its flanks increased power to its engines and burned towards Septis, eager to get to grips with the Narn fleet it had detected on the far side, both ships launched their remaining fighters. The Earth Alliance fleet eager to preserve what remained of the Markab civilization from despoilment turned towards their nearest enemy, the Narn fleet! Both Omega destroyers spewed more fighters from their launch bays and tracked their enemy, lining up for boresight firing. Finally the Anla'shok's Tara'Lin maneuvered towards the Centauri and launched two squadrons of Shial fighters.
Space lit up bright as the firing got underway. The Ashan’ta’s scanners easily broke through the primitive stealth of the Centauri Dargan but only caused light damage whilst the mighty Minbari warcruiser remained out of range.

On the far side of the planet the EA fleets heavy laser cannons fired on the G’Quans. The Lindus’ fire ruptured the fuel lines on the Karith whilst the Tyrus’ massive beam fire ripped into the G’lann, knocking out her forward guns and in a huge explosion a massive hull breach tore apart the Narns prow.
In revenge the G’Lann returned fire with her heavy laser cannon on the Tyrus, the Narns fire sliced into the Omega, passing through deck after deck, ripping apart the interceptors and close in anti-fighter guns. When the glare of red light faded it became apparent that the Tyrus had been crippled in one shot! The G’lann added to the carnage by launching a high yield energy mine right into the close packs of Earth fighters, wiping out all but one squadron.


Turn 2.
As turn 2 started the Narn ships limped closed toward the EA fleet whilst the crews on both ships attempted to affect repairs, meanwhile the Tyrus turned away from the oncoming Narn whilst launching her fighters and opening a jump point. The Lindus also launched her remaining fighters but powered toward the Narn determined to save her companion. Both the ISA and Centauri fleets turned toward each other and prepared to fire with two Shial squadrons attempting to outmaneuver their foe by going planet side.
On the rimward battle front the fire from the ISA and Centauri proved ineffective. However the widdershins front proved as deadly as the last. The firing was opened by the Lindus on the G’lann causing wicked execution and knocking out the Narns engineering. This was, however, overshadowed by the Karith’s beam finding the Lindus’ reactor and causing a major implosion which took out her anti fighter guns. Both of the Narn ships succeeded in repairing the critical damage that they had suffered in the last turn.



Turn 3.
As turn 3 started the Centauri fleet desperately sought to close the range to the Tara’lin who responded by turning so she had a Centauri ship in both her front and starboard arcs whilst her fighters jumped the crude Centauri models. On the far side of the planet the entire Earth force fleet decided that discretion was the better part of valor and fled through the jump point that the Tyrus had created, the bright gold light marking another human defeat above the sphere of Septis. The Narn fleet suddenly deprived of enemies came about and headed to Septis at full burn with the almost crippled G’lann lagging to the rear.


The Anla’shok again opened the shooting, proving once again the inferiority of younger races the Minbari scanners locked on to the Senna and between her Neutron lasers and fusion cannons blasted her to tiny scraps whilst her starboard guns damaged the capacitors on the Primus battlecruiser. Spewing fire from every turret the Primus entered the fight and actually beat the stealth of the Tara’lin and damaged her thrusters, to add insult to injury the crisscrossing ion cannons shredded a Shial squadron. The turn got even worse for the Rangers as their fighters shoot down only one Rutarian squadron whilst they lost two squadrons of Shials.


Turn 4.
The Narn fleet continued to burn as fast as possible towards the fight on the far side of the planet whilst the ISA and Centauri fleets closed to point blank range.
The Ashan’ta poured fire into the Primus, scores of beams lashing all over the ship severing fuel lines and knocking out the starboard weapons whilst in one massive hit the Maruelia’s return blew a huge hull breach into the Anla’shok flagship! The fighter furball saw more casualties as the Minbari flyer squadron was shot to pieces and the last Rutarian squadron suffered a similar fate.



Turn 5.
All three fleets continue to close the range with the ISA and Centauri ships now broadside onto each other.

As the two ships continue to pound on each other the Primus in quick succession had her reactor explode, her bridge destroyed, and her targeting systems knocked out. Thoroughly crippled now the Maruela inflicted as much damage as possible on her foe and miraculously even managed to get her starboard guns back on line just in time for the Narn fleet that was rapidly closing. Announcing their presence to the two battered fleets the Karith fired her energy mine which hit every single ship and squadron still on the board, in the conflagration every remaining fighter squadron was immolated and the Ashan’ta took some further damage.

Turn 6.
At the start of turn 6 it seemed the Narn had a decisive advantage and they continued to rush forward to make the kill. The Centauri Primus limped forward and turned to keep arc on both enemy fleets and the Tara'lin for her part moved as quickly as she could to clear the boresight arc of the Narn ships.

Once more the ISA opened the firing with more beam weapons slicing into the Primus, finally the Maruela could withstand no more and was sliced to pieces her dead crew drifting in the wreckage of their once proud ship. Not finished the Ashan'ta welcomed the Narn to the battle by smashing some more holes in the G'lann whilst the shorter range fusion cannons blew apart two Frazi squadrons.

Turn 7.
With the Centauri now out of the battle the Narn and ISA squared off, all three capital ships had suffered grievous damage and this turn should prove decisive.
The Narn fleet had now reached far orbit of Septis and spread their arcs out to make sure that at least one of them had boresight no matter what move the ISA made. In return the Ashan’ta moved across the front of the Narn ships in order to have a G’Quan in a separate arc, the Frazi flights pelted forward with their scanners at full in order to try and gain target locks for their parent ships.


Despite the damage she had suffered so far in the battle the guns on the Tara'lin were unaffected which they proved by igniting multiple fires on the Karith in her front arc. Her side port guns fired on the G'lann with her neutron lasers blasting apart the sturdy Narn ship as in rapid succession her thrusters were damaged, her capacitors knocked out and finally a catastrophic explosion tore her to pieces. Finally the fusion cannons shredded both the Frazi fighter squadrons.

The Karith wisely decided to flee the battle.

So at the end of the game the ISA retained possession of Septis. Humanities finest showed once again just how rubbish they were and whilst the Narn performed well they didn't gain any thing to show for it.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/04/16 05:27:53


Post by: ingtaer


Update showing painting progress, a whole squadron of Frazis!

Not sure yet whether I am going to put decals on them, any opinions?


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/04/17 23:58:02


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Don't they have yellow or red markings on the white area at the corners of the "wings"? What size are the decals?


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/04/18 00:50:04


Post by: ingtaer


yeah;


The decals are about three mm by 1.

Or I have a few different sized Narn faction symbols;


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/04/18 02:16:23


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


I guess it's up to you on the decals. I misread your post as asking where you should put decals.

What season of the show does this battle take place during? Anything after season 2, and you would be justified using no marking so that the Centauri would not know which house to punish in reprisal, or it was never added back after Narn independence.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/05/05 11:36:57


Post by: ingtaer


Some more painting progress to show, a pair of Thentus frigates and a Dag'kar.


Hoping to have the next game up by next week.

Bobtheinquisitor, sorry for the delayed response I decided in the end to go without the decals at any reasonable range it just looked like squiggles so looks tidier without. As for the fluff setting, well going by canon their is a really small window between the Markab dying and Sheridan blowing their jumpgate, all of which is before a lot of the ships I am using came into full production so I am not overly concerned!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/05/31 11:29:55


Post by: ingtaer


Well the game update post didn't happen but here is another paint update.
A pair of Narn Var'Nic long range destroyers join the fleet.



War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/06/02 18:01:31


Post by: n815e


This is great stuff.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/07/18 04:47:36


Post by: Elguardian


This is the best thing I've read in a long time, I just registered to comment on this.

How I wish I could find someone around here to play, I own 5 complete fleets (Vorlons, Shadows, EA 3rd Age and Early, Brakiri and Minbari) but no one wants to give the game a go.

If you ever want a new player I will jump right in.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/07/18 05:49:41


Post by: ingtaer


Cheers you two!

Elguardian; I am flattered and glad you have enjoyed it. I really must stop slacking off and get the next update done!
If you are on the Vassal module for B5 ACTA then look me up (same username) and I will gladly give you a game. If you are not on it/ didn't know it existed then it is worth the download as there are frequently people about. They mostly appear to be US and UK based so that should be quite friendly for the timezones.

Oh and welcome to dakka!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/07/18 09:34:09


Post by: Elguardian


 ingtaer wrote:
Cheers you two!

Elguardian; I am flattered and glad you have enjoyed it. I really must stop slacking off and get the next update done!
If you are on the Vassal module for B5 ACTA then look me up (same username) and I will gladly give you a game. If you are not on it/ didn't know it existed then it is worth the download as there are frequently people about. They mostly appear to be US and UK based so that should be quite friendly for the timezones.

Oh and welcome to dakka!


I know Vassal, I just didn't knew there was an ACTA module. I will look it up. Thanks!!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/07/25 03:30:11


Post by: ingtaer


Another paint update as I wanted to get these done before shooting the next game, so a bunch of Whitestars (mk2s) and an EA Oracle scout. Not overly happy with how the stars are painted but it is the happiest I was after trying out three different methods. Turns out that organic armour mixed with 90s low budget graphics is hard to paint.




War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/07/31 01:59:53


Post by: ingtaer


More paint, I am using this ship from Brigade models as a proxy for the EA Warlock (as I hate the official model). She is slightly longer than an Omega and her hull is about twice as wide.




War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/07/31 06:48:38


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


The White Stars look great. What technique did you use?

Also, why do you hate the Warlock mini?


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/07/31 07:19:13


Post by: ingtaer


Cheers Bob! I don't really know why I hate the official Warlock its just one of those things, its not that I think it looks out of place/not in faction or anything else simple its just that I purely don't like it. My dislike for it isn't a massive disadvantage (I actually don't like Hyperions either and I now have five of them) but the model is expensive (looking at US$ 25, the proxy was GBP12) and I can guarantee that the Warlock would take a hell of a lot of cleaning up work. All of my EA stuff to date has been horribly cast and if you have a look at the Omegas earlier in the thread you can see that they suffer a 2-3mm mould slip and one of the Hyperions not shown yet suffers from 8mm! So the proxy just seemed like a better path.

For the Whitestars I base coated them in GW Administratum Grey mixing in some white as it approached the edges of the hull, then I painted in the squiggles using Vallejo Oxford blue thinned down (4/1 medium to paint) loaded up the brush and flicked it in a series of crescents, pressing harder for the thicker bits and easing up for the thinner.
Went back over this a few times using a purer Oxford blue until it was only blue and no medium, each time trying to stay inside the lines and keep to near the intersections/ stripes. Lastly using a quite dry mix of Oxford/Dark blue I painted in the border that surrounds the tracery to form a distinct 'edge' where the grey stands pure on the edges of the wings/hull.
It was quite a tricky one I have to say and well outside my comfort zone, I have been tempted to just strip them on more than one occasion as I swung between liking the effect and hating it (ended up making a thread in the P&M showcase here to get feedback as I could not decide).


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/02 04:47:01


Post by: ingtaer


EA Hermes transports join the fight (in the background you can also make out the next project in the construction que).


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/04 22:24:27


Post by: Easy E


We demand more games!

However, the new painted stuff is nice too.

Maybe, "demand" is too strong of a word.....


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/05 00:40:42


Post by: ingtaer


No, you can feel free to demand! It is a strange thing but every time I go to set up the next game, I get halfway through clearing my table of painting stuff and then just end up painting.

Tell you what though mate I will post the next game up if you post one using your newly painted Greeks! Deal? Say by the end of next week (week ending the 12th of August).

Just got to get my Bluestars and Whitestar fighters painted and then I am ready to rock...


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/09 02:54:48


Post by: ingtaer


Okay so the little ships are done and I have cleared away my painting stuff off my table so hope to have the next game done by tomorrow night, its been a while.
Bluestar proxies (actually FA scale Minbari cruisers).

Whitestar fighters;




War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/09 03:32:58


Post by: chaos0xomega


I constantly lament the demise if this game, in particular because I bought both the 1st and 2nd ed. versions of the rules about 2 weeks prior to Mongoose announcing its cancellation. It scared away all the people I had convinced to try it, and I ended uo not buying the minis when I had the chance


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/09 04:16:09


Post by: ingtaer


Don't lament, play! You can still find games on Vassal even if you cant convince anyone else to play it. If you have an established group of players you know, then it shouldn't be too hard to get them interested again. The ruleset is mostly very tight, its easy to play but with enough breadth that it doesn't become stale and as a dead game there is no need to chase the newest "hotness" stuff.
Also the models are still available from;
https://agents-of-gaming.myshopify.com/
Though they are not for the faint of heart as the moulds have aged very poorly for most stuff so they require a lot of clean up, filling and resculpting and as they are metal this can prove tricky.
However even if you don't use the models the game is still extremely playable with just tokens.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/09 14:19:19


Post by: Easy E


 ingtaer wrote:
No, you can feel free to demand! It is a strange thing but every time I go to set up the next game, I get halfway through clearing my table of painting stuff and then just end up painting.

Tell you what though mate I will post the next game up if you post one using your newly painted Greeks! Deal? Say by the end of next week (week ending the 12th of August).

Just got to get my Bluestars and Whitestar fighters painted and then I am ready to rock...


I see what you did there! No fair! Lol!

I am away from my Greeks for the next two weeks, but I will try to get something together once Real Life stops bothering me!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/10 10:24:49


Post by: ingtaer


Turn 4

Turn 4 started with the EA declaring that they were going to take the Asteroid Belt, the Centauri went for the Observation post and the Narn decided to attack the ISA held Jumpgate.

Pre game.
The game was rolled up as a 4pt Battle Annihilation with three density 8 asteroid fields.

Force selection and plan.
The Narn player selected his fleet based upon the idea that Energy Mines were great against enemies that relied upon Dodge and Stealth, knowing the ISA fleet consisted of only ships that relied upon these traits he decided to cram in as many EM launching ships as possible! First up he had 2 G’Quans (Sword of G'Tal and G'Quans Blade) who not only have EM launchers but also very good beam weapons and a huge pile of other guns in all arcs. Next he choose 2 Var’Nic (Vengeance and Spite) whilst they lack mines they do have a very handy beam as well as tough armour and precise torpedos, next up were 2 Thentus (Revenge and Retribution) who were going to be tasked with defending the flanks of the G'Quans and making sure that any attempt to flank them would be punished and lastly a Dag’kar joined the fleet as its only purpose in life is to throw mines!
The ISA player decided that he really wanted to take some Whitestars this game, many Whitestars. In fact he only wanted Whitestars! As such he had 4 Whitestar mk1 (Whitestars 8-11) and 4 Whitestar mk2 (Whitestars 12-15). His plan was to utilise the speed and agility of the Whitestars to outflank, separate and defeat the enemy in detail


Deployment.

As the defender the ISA fleet deployed first with the Whitestars deployed in a checkboard formation, keeping at least 6 1/2 inches between each ship. The mk1s deployed forward with the 2s at the back with all fighters deployed. The plan was to swing around the outside edges of both the end asteroid fields and avoid bunching up as much as possible in order to avoid taking too much damage from EMines
The Narn deployed with both G’Quans and Thentus’ opposite the southern most gap in the asteroids, both Var’nics opposite the northern most gap and the Dag’kar lurking behind the central asteroid field. The plan was to cover both the gaps in the asteroid fields whilst keeping at range of the Whitestars (who have a pathetic range of 10 inches), any time Whitestars bunched together he planned to lob mines at them!



Warleader T'dan was pensive, his fleet had come within a hairs breadth of taking control of Septis after soundly routing the humans and engaging what he was assured was a Minbari cruiser. It had cost him the G'Lann whose dead now rested with the remains of the Markab but he was confident that he would be able to take the Markab homeworld with just one more push, he had called in the reserve fleet and transferred his flag to the Sword of G'Tal, ready to strike a decisive blow. An urgent missive from the Kha’Ri had spoiled his carefully laid plan however, he had been directed to seize the Markab beacon jumpgate from an unknown power as the Kha’Ri determined that by holding the gate it would lend legitimacy to their seizure of the entire system.
Now his fleet was approaching the gate with only an asteroid belt in the way. Suddenly the scanners lit up blue, jump points, lots of them. The enemy were here…



Turn 1
The ISA gained the initiative (which they were to retain through out the game) and the Whitestar fleet swung into action, with all ships piling on the speed and aiming to swing around the asteroid fields. The Narn fleet in turn slowly drifted forward keeping their stations with both monstrous G’Quans turning slightly to bring their boresight heavy laser cannons to bear.
Space lit up red as they both fired, the Sword of G’Quan managed only a glancing hit on Whitestar 8 but the G’Quans Blade proved more effective as her powerful beam smashed through the asteroids in front of her and into Whitestar 10, the weaponised light cut deep into the fragile frame and blew her reactor to pieces! The damage was so severe that not only did it take the Whitestar to half her damage but it also knocked out her ability to repair herself.
View of the Northern flank;

View from the South;


Turn 2
With the initiative firmly theirs the Whitestar fleet broke formation to sweep around the asteroid fields. The Narn continued to drift slightly whilst manoeuvring only to gain shots. Again only the Narn could fire, and they did so with abandon! As they turned to skirt the outside of the southern asteroid field Whitestars 8 and 13 had drifted closer together, right under the mine launchers of both G’Quans. The Sword of G’Tal fired first and her mine slammed into the little cluster of ships as Whitestar 13 took minor damage and her accompanying Nial squadron was annihilated whilst Whitestar 8 took massive damage (the shot took her to half damage combined with the HLC shot of last turn). Before the shaken Whitestars could recover the heavy laser cannons lit up once again, this time ploughing into Whitestar 13 and taking her to half damage! Not to be outdone the G’Quans Blade launched her mine into the same stretch of space, the mine detonated in a blossom of fire and tore Whitestar 13 to pieces and crippled Whitestar 8. In the end phase Whitestar 10 managed to get her adaptive armour repaired and looking at how the fight was unfolding she was going to need it…
View of the southern flank moments before Whitestar 13 met her end;


Turn 3
Although badly shaken by the pounding they had taken already the Whitestar fleet forged ahead. The northern most elements rounded the outside of the asteroid field whilst three more ships powered through the gap between the northern and central asteroid fields, in the south the battered remnants lined up on their targets and vowed to sell their lives as Anla’shok should. The Narn fleet meanwhile suddenly sprang to life as all across the fleet their engines powered up. Vengeance and Spite swung their bows northward and prepared to engage as Sword of G’Tal and G’Quans Blade turned hard to port in order to avoid running headlong into the asteroid belt. Revenge however was unconcerned by such delicacies and just charged through as she sought to get a shot on Whitestar 8. The Frazi squadrons from G’Quans blade broke off from escorting her and plotted an intercept on Whitestar 10.
View from the north after movement;

View from the center;

View from the south;

The shooting began with the Frazi squadrons spraying fire at Whitestar 10, in a remarkable turn of fortunes so far the agile ship dodged all of it! In the centre Whitestar 9 who was ahead of the rest of the fleet achieved perfect firing solutions on the Dag’kar and in a bright blaze of light her neutron lasers and pulsars began hammering into the fragile Narn ship. In return the Dag’kar fired off both her energy mine and her torpedoes taking the Whitestar down to half damage and badly damaging her thrusters. To the south the Revenge who had boldly ploughed through the asteroid field laid her guns on the badly damaged Whitestar 8 and in one swift salvo blasted the ISA ship from space simultaneously Whitestar 10 opened up on G’Quans blade but scarcely scratched her paint but the return fire badly damaged the Whitestars capacitators. On the northern flank both of the Var’nic destroyers fired every weapon in range at Whitestar 12 but with only minimal effect whilst Whitestar 14 boring in from the centre caught the Frazi squadron flying CAP on the hop and slaughtered them and her beams bit deep into Spite, stripping nearly a third of her hull.

Turn 4
With the battle now degenerating into a fierce and furious melee the Whitestars finally completed the envelopment of the Narn northern elements whilst the rest of the Narn fleet continue turning towards what was now the middle of the battle trailed by Whitestar 10.




Whitestar 9 and the Dag'kar both continued to drift toward each other as they both cut power to their engines in order to keep each other in arc, the fire from the Ranger ship proved telling this time as the Narn frigates’ hull was racked by secondary explosions that ended her existence. Not to be outdone Vengeance lived upto her name and opened fire on Whitestar 12, whilst her secondary pulsars scattered the Nial squadron that was flying CAP, her main weapons pounded into the Whitestar rupturing her fuel systems and causing the power to her weapons to fluctuate. Alongside her Spite lashed out at Whitestar 14, scattering her CAP with a torpedo and blasting into her hull with the main beam which cored the Minbari built ship and blew her reactor to pieces, leaving her crippled. Whitestar 15 seeing the trouble her sister ship was in threw power into her weapons and engaged Spite, her hull blistered from the force of the attack until a searching neutron laser beam touched her ammo supply and ended the destroyer in one brief, brilliant flash of light. Whitestars 11 and 12 combined their fire to try and end Vengeance but with 12s weapons losing power they were unable to do any significant damage. For the first time in the game the Thentus ‘Revenge’ finally managed to get a target in range and blistered a volley of beam fire at Whitestar 9 taking her down to one damage point. Lastly Whitestar 10 managed to dodge all the fire from both Frazi squadrons but the violent manoeuvres threw off her aim and she was unable to do any damage to the G'Quans Blade in return. Contemptuously the Narn heavy cruiser returned fire with her rear guns and blasted into Whitestar 10s reactor, the briefly born star taking out both the Frazi squadrons as well!
The state of play at the end of turn 4;




Turn 5
With the fleet in tatters, 2 ships untouched whilst the other three were crippled against a Narn fleet where pretty much every ship was undamaged the ISA fleet performed the galaxy famous "Getting the hell out of there" manouvre and fled the field.
Victory to the Narn!




War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/10 10:30:44


Post by: Mr Morden


Always a joy to see ACTA in action

Great reports and enjoying the pianting as well.

Brigade models do make some great proxies.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/10 10:38:46


Post by: ingtaer


Cheers mate, was wondering if you would pop in to the thread (not just cause of the name but because we discussed it previously!).

Cant agree more on Brigade, lovely models and a real joy to deal with after AOG/Mongoose casting! I have a couple of Olympus proxies in the paint que as well.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/10 20:45:58


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
Cheers mate, was wondering if you would pop in to the thread (not just cause of the name but because we discussed it previously!).

Cant agree more on Brigade, lovely models and a real joy to deal with after AOG/Mongoose casting! I have a couple of Olympus proxies in the paint que as well.


Just got a large order from them for thier Victorian flyers game which looks fun - although like MGP models have to drill the stand holes out.

Did a bit of messing about with rules for a 3rd Ed ACTA but not got very far.

Looking forward to more of your campaign


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/24 23:57:30


Post by: ingtaer


A small task force of Hyach ready for action;


These ships are all fleet action scale but I am using them in ACTA (or will be when the rest of the LoNAW joins in) as such they are being used as a ship the size smaller than they are officially, the frigates become fighters whilst the Dreadnought becomes a battlecruiser.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/25 08:05:31


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
A small task force of Hyach ready for action;


These ships are all fleet action scale but I am using them in ACTA (or will be when the rest of the LoNAW joins in) as such they are being used as a ship the size smaller than they are officially, the frigates become fighters whilst the Dreadnought becomes a battlecruiser.


What rules are you using for them - they look good


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/25 08:43:57


Post by: ingtaer


Cheers, I am using the expanded rules for the League of non aligned worlds that Katadder (sp?) on the old Mongoose forum released when the game went belly up. If memory serves the Hyach and Cascor stuff he done was based off of the unreleased playtest material.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/25 13:35:29


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
Cheers, I am using the expanded rules for the League of non aligned worlds that Katadder (sp?) on the old Mongoose forum released when the game went belly up. If memory serves the Hyach and Cascor stuff he done was based off of the unreleased playtest material.


Ah yes I have that as well - he did some interesting work - I think I adapted some of it for my Dilgar War pack


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/25 13:41:32


Post by: ingtaer


Which Dilgar War pack? From your avatar and comments were you Da Boss on the old forum?


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/25 15:32:38


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
Which Dilgar War pack? From your avatar and comments were you Da Boss on the old forum?


Yep that's me I did a pack back in the day


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/08/27 12:14:12


Post by: ingtaer


 Mr Morden wrote:
 ingtaer wrote:
Which Dilgar War pack? From your avatar and comments were you Da Boss on the old forum?


Yep that's me I did a pack back in the day


Ha, so you did mate. I will have to dig out my copy and have a gander through the rules again. Have played a few times with Katadders Hyach and found the fleet to be quite fair both pure and in a mixed league fleet. I like the really slow loading mechanic on the spinal lasers and the fleet seems to crumble as soon as the enemy has closed.

Edit; Edited out my critic of the Hyach Scout Carrier as I had totally misremembered its rules and combined it with the stealth cruiser.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/01 01:27:11


Post by: ingtaer


More paint, this time a duo of Whitestar Gunships;


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/10 13:32:49


Post by: ingtaer


Turn 5 - Game 1

For the fifth campaign turn the ISA decided to attack the Centauri held Septis IV whilst the Earth Alliance headed to attack the jump gate that the Narn had captured last turn.



The mission was rolled up as a 4pt Battle Space Superiority with three density seven asteroid fields on the table.

Force selection and deployment
The Centauri player opted to take a fleet of mixed heavy ships and fast gunships. As such he bought both of the Centauri’s remaining capital ships (the Primus, Dunseny, and the Dargan, Torluk.) as well as two identical wolfpacks each consisting of a Sullust and two Vorchans. He deployed with the Dargan skirting the northern most asteroid field, wolfpack 2 hiding behind the western field and the Dunseny and wolfpack 1 in the gap between.


After the disaster of the last game the ISA player decided that a fleet of Whitestars was not the best idea so once more the Tara’lin Dogato went to war, along side her were four Whitestars (numbers 4-7). After studying the Centauri deployment the ISA decided to deploy bunched as far from the Centauri big guns as possible, the plan being to crush one flank and then roll up the line.



Turn 1
The Dunseny’s task force was a glorious sight drifting between the debris clouds that surround Septis IV, it was a sight to lift the heart of any Centauri, hearkening back to the glory days of the Old Empire when entire worlds trembled in fear. Lord Tavari was proud to own such a marvelous collection of Centauri power but a nagging fear lingered in the back of his mind, the ships he had sent to liberate the Markab homeworld had disappeared with out a trace only a few days ago and he had received a warning of an unknown enemy force heading his way. Whether the two events were connected he did not know but he had to do what any lord of the Centauri would, head out and face the enemy down.

The ISA gained initiative and the Dogato crept forward issuing a scramble order to get more fighters out whilst turning to cover the gaps in the asteroid fields as all four whitestars issued stop orders.
The Centauri for their part powered forward all across the board with the second wolf pack turning to skirt to the south of the asteroid field.
The only ship with range was the Dogato whose main battery opened up on the Sullust in wolfpack 1, doing some damage.


Turn 2

The Centauri gained initiative and began to close their pincer, the Dargan rounded the northern asteroid belt whilst wolf pack 2 rounded the southern. In the center the Primus and wolf pack 1 closed the range. Whitestars 1 and 4 moved toward the middle of the table whilst 2 and 3 drifted forward.
Wolfpack 1 opened up the firing on Whitestar 1 and in a blaze of ions, beams and torpedoes blasted her engines to bits leaving her as a drifting hulk just long enough for the Dunseny to finish her off with her battle lasers. Once more the Dogato’s guns opened fire on the fan headed fools, her main forward guns blasted into the Sullust leading wolfpack 2 while her forward secondaries tore into a Vorchan. Her port guns tracked the other Sullust and lit space up once more, the Neutron lasers atomizing the interceptors, destroying power relays across the ship and venting several decks to the void. As the Sullust desperately tried to evade the fire she turned right into a stream of fire from Whitestar 4 which annihilated her with her searching lasers, at the same time her guns blasted into the lead Vorchan of the same wolfpack. The pulsing weapons fire chewed through the ships armour and bit deep into her reactor, in a brief flare of light the Vorchan’s reactor exploded, scattering bits of ship and crew to join the debris fields.


Turn 3
The Centauri retained the initiative and carried on closing their pincer hoping to quickly avenge their fallen comrades. As they closed, Whitestar 4 plotted an intercept on the Torluk and in a maneuver known to the warrior caste as “Skin Dancing” she flipped on end with her bow travelling just meters away from the enemy hull, right down her length. To the south of the battlefield all the remaining ships hurtled forward into one very small, very congested patch of space. Two of the Rangers Shial flights began to strafe the remaining Vorchan from wolfpack 1 whilst the other two jumped the Centauri Sentri flights and in a furious dogfight slaughtered them.

Space once more lit up bright but unfortunately for the Centauri it was as the Dunseny sprayed firepower in a vain attempt to target the Tara’lin cruiser. In return the Dogato proved much more accurate as she crippled the last Vorchan from wolfpack 1 and smashed apart the weapons control center of the remaining Sullust. Not to be out done Whitestar 2 in the south tracked her firepower across the lead Vorchan from wolfpack 2, crippling her and damaging her capacitors. The remaining ships traded fire and damage quickly racked up on Whitestars 2 and 3 however the Centauri were still unable to catch a break as another Vorchan ceased to exist as anything bar its component atoms.

Turn 4

The battered Centauri fleet retained the initiative and the massive furball in the south continued, Whitestar 4 continued to skim along the hull of the Dargan whilst Whitestar 3 moved to do the same to the Dunseny. At the same time the Rutarian flights pounced on the Shial fighters that had cut apart the Sentris last turn, this time the fight was much more equal as both sides lost a flight. Across the battle field the other pair of Shials lanced fire into a Vorchan.

In a shameful display, the Dunseny once again failed to break the stealth of the Dogato and wasted her firepower on open space. The Dogato for her part had ships in both her side arcs and to the rear and decided to take advantage of it. With blazing yellow light the vast arrays of Neutron weapons spoke again, the rear guns blasted apart the remaining Sullust before slicing on into the Vorchan being pursued by the Shial fighter and ending her as well. The starboard guns meanwhile sliced into the starboard guns of the Dunseny leaving nothing but mangled metal in their wake and springing a gas leak in her reactor. The Torluk finally managed to achieve a firing solution against an enemy ship and blasted apart Whitestar 2 in an overwhelming display of firepower. Finally the Centauri managed to calibrate their sensors as the last remaining Vorchan pounded torpedoes into the Dogato, however as Whitestar 3 skimmed over the surface of the Dunseny she opened vast swathes of her hull to open space.

Turn 5
The ISA seized initiative and the fearsome Dogato moved to skirt the asteroid field and keep the enemy capital ships at arms reach, the Dunseny and the Torluk tried their best to close the distance with the Torluk hedging her bets by opening a jump point. Whitestars 3 and 4 chased the still imposing ships and endeavored to skin dance them again. Whitestar 4 mistimed the maneuver as the flare of energy from the Torluk threw off her scanners, the Anla’shok pilot was unable to compensate in time and the ISA ship slammed into their foe.

The last of the Centauri fighter squadrons’ brief celebrations were terminated as a Shial flight caught them flat footed and butchered them, hilariously the two remaining Shial flights failed to beat the crude stealth tech of the Dargan and wasted their shots. The brief moment of satisfaction was to taste like ashes shortly after as the Dogato turned her guns on the battered ship and blasted it from space. The Tara’lin shuddered as she took some fire from the last remaining Vorchan and annihilating the flyer flight that was providing a CAP (which the players had forgotten about last turn).

Turn 6
The Rangers retained the initiative and the Dogato moved further behind the debris field whilst the remaining Whitestar entered the asteroid field to line up a shot on the Dunseny. The last Vorchan chased after the Tara'lin whilst the Shial flights followed her.
With a Vorchan to the rear and the Primus to starboard the ISA command ship was in her element and began the firing, after the light from her guns faded it was clear that both Centauri ships had ceased to exist.


And so the game ended with a decisive victory to the ISA with every single enemy ship destroyed but at quite a heavy cost. The failure at the jump gate had been made up for and once more the Tara'lin has shown itself to be a most formidable foe.

Join us next time as the EA fight the Narn for possession of the gate (or possibly more painting).



War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/10 19:45:47


Post by: Easy E


Nice! Those poor Centauri got shot to pieces.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/11 01:07:14


Post by: ingtaer


Yeah, poor fan heads...
After the first game where he was about to run away and then won the game on the next turn the Centauri player came to the conclusion that he should never run away again.
Unfortunately this has lead to him getting a hiding since, at this stage in the campaign the Centauri fleet has lost 6/10 of its starting battle points whilst the ISA (for example) has lost 2.5/10.
Sometimes running is a good thing!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/11 14:45:15


Post by: Easy E


Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/13 00:51:17


Post by: ThaneCawdor


 Easy E wrote:
Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war.
Ah but this is B5.. sometimes you have to lose the entire war to win the war.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/26 01:10:08


Post by: ingtaer


More ships leave the yard, a trio of Brigade models British frigates being used as EA Olympus corvettes and an Ipsha Warglobe.



War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/26 08:31:48


Post by: Mr Morden


Love the narrative reports!

Always a shame to see the Centauri losing though ;( The Warglobe is a great model and agree Brigade do some great ships


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/09/26 10:43:15


Post by: ingtaer


Hope to get a few more reports done in rapid order next week, cant disagree with you more on the mighty pussy cat of the galaxy though...

Warglobe rocks! Was saying on my P&M thread that its amongst my favourite of all space ships as its so completely alien, its not just a plane or real word ship in space but something that makes one go "How the hell is that supposed to work?". The casting of the model is horrible though, took many hours to get to the moderate state its in and I eventually just gave up. Which is probably fortunate else I probably would have ended up with more of them than I have Whitestars.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/10/05 06:20:08


Post by: ingtaer


Turn 5, Game 2

Following up from the Centauri getting their collective fan heads kicked in we have game 2, the Earth Alliances attack upon the Markab jumpgate.


The mission was rolled up as a 5pt Raid A Call to Arms with the Narn defending and no stellar obstacles.
Force selction and deployment

The Earth Force player decided to take a selection of smaller ships trying t balance combat power whilst having enough ships to enable them some tactical flexibility as such they chose to centre their fleet around the Nova dreadnought (Cronos), with a pair of Hyperion cruisers (Red - Calendula, Blue - Gilia), a trio of Olympus corvettes (Enipeas, Iilas and itochoro) and an Oracle scout (Pythia).
The EA fleet deployed in two ranks with the lighter ships forming the second as they have longer range than the rest of the fleet and the maneuverability to plug gaps.

The Narn player decided to take a mix of heavier of warships with the main line being formed by a pair of Var'Nics (Vengeance and Hatred) and a G'Karith (Defiance) whilst waiting in hyperspace was the mighty G'Quan heavy cruiser Sword of G’Tal.



Turn 1
Waiting was always hard. Even during the war of liberation Warleader T'Dan had hated the waiting, he would rather do anything other than just sit passively. After the hard fight to take the jumpgate from the Minbari he managed to stand guard for a little over a day before his restlessness got the better of him and he ordered the Sword of G'Tal into hyperspace to find something to shoot. He had been out amongst the swirling red clouds of the alternate dimension for a while now and still hadn't found anything to shoot but now trouble brewed, his impetuous nature had gotten him into trouble once again. They had received a distress call from the squadron he had left to monitor the gate, they were under attack by humans and he was not their to lead them, worse, the most powerful ship in the fleet was out of position. He ordered his crew to strain the engines to maximum to try and get back in time and prayed to the prophets that they would make it...

The Earth Alliance gained the initiative and their fleet powered forwards whilst maintaining their formation and the Cronos spat out a couple more squadrons of Thunderbolts. The Narn for their part stopped dead in space.


Turn 2

In the second turn the Narn pass the initiative over to the EA who continue their advance, the Narn fleet fire up their engines and begin to move with the Defiance creeping forward and both Var'Nics power forward and sweep in to flank the human lines. Behind the Earth ships space tore open into a swirling vortex of blue energy. The range was still too great to open fire.


Turn 3

The Narn retain the initiative and opt to use it this time with the Var'Nics cutting in from the flanks and lining up bore sight shots on the EAS Cronos, steaming forward from the jump point the Sword of G'Tal joined the fray from behind the human formation. The Earth ships countered the Narns flanking maneuver by opening their formation like petals from a flower, lining up shots where they could. A pair of Frazi squadrons moved to intercept their opposite numbers.

Once more space around the jumpgate lit up with weapons fire as both the onrushing Frazi squadrons were blasted into atoms by humanities finest fighters.
Seeing how bunched up the EA capital ships were the Sword of G'Tal lobbed an emine at them, the bright pulsing waves of energy caught two of the Olympus corvettes, the Cronos and the Galias in their blast and inflicted moderate damage to them all. As the shockwaves dispersed the heavy laser cannons opened up on the Cronos and bit deep into the black hull. Not to be outdone the Cronos spat fire from her rear, forward and starboard guns though beside scattering the Frazi squadron flying CAP for the Defiance they caused little real harm. Both the flanking Var'Nics opened up with their beams on the Cronos whilst their secondaries targeted the Hyperion nearest them, in both instances the beams caused minor execution whilst the smattering of smaller guns fire was stopped by the human interceptor grids. In return both the Gilia and Calendula fired back at the ships that had attacked them with the fire from the Gilia barely scratching the paintwork of the hatred, Calendulas fire however was much more effective blasting a third of Vengeance to pieces. All three of the Olympus corvettes combined their massed missiles and railgun shots to hammer the Sword of G'Tal but most of the fire failed to even dent the thick armour. Lastly the Defiance fired a pulsar mine at the massed human ships causing some harm whilst her pulse cannon fire was stopped by the interceptor grid.


Turn 4

The Humans gain the initiative and move to envelope the Narn fleet whilst the Narn jockey to get the optimum shots for their guns though with both fleets so closely entwined it seemed harder to miss than hit a target, unnoticed amongst the leviathans around them the Starfury squadrons swooped to intercept the clunky Frazis and annihilated one squadron and the Thuderbolts committed to attack runs on the G'Karith.


Bright lances of laser fire speared out from the Cronos and bit deep into the Defiance setting multiple fires and causing a massive gas leak in the reactor room whilst her port guns chewed into Hatred, opening deck after deck to the cold void of space, atomising her targeting systems and somewhere deep inside the Narn destroyer an ammunition store cooked off in a set of massive internal explosions! The badly wounded Narn ship returned the compliment and sawed into the Cronos with her main beams wreaking such damage that the human dreadnought was crippled. The Galia seeing the flagship in such peril adjusted her guns and laid a time on target barrage on the Hatred blasting hull plating apart along her length and crippling her in return.
On the other flank of the massive furball the Vengeance and Calendula spat a desultory fire at each with neither being able to do much real harm. After performing their attack run on the Defiance the Thunderbolt squadrons swept over her prow to realign for another go, as they did so the Defiance hurled a pulse mine after them catching not only them but two of the corvettes and the Nova in the blast, both units of Tbolts died and the mine caused further damage to the capital ships as well. Not finished yet the Defiance was backlit as all her secondary guns blazed away at the two Olympus corvettes in front of her, both ships yawed under the ferocity of the fire before the hull of the Iilas gave up and burst apart in a flower of nuclear flame.
Her sister corvettes try to avenge their loss and blast away at the Narn ships but their fire proves mostly ineffective. Drifting through the maelstrom of munitions the Sword of G'Tal had finally reached optimum firing range and in the finest tradition of the prophet it was named after it commenced a slaughter that would make her people proud. First her forward pulse cannons overwhelmed the defence grid of the Galia and started to blast into her hull, next her flank weapons poured shot after shot into the Calendua and left her as a burning wreck with her crew roasted at their posts. Finally as her bow drifted to port her heavy laser cannons were bought to bear on the Cronos and in a dazzling display of light the mighty Nova was blasted to scrap.
Seeing the devastation that had overtaken their fleet the remaining human ships turned and fled, dumping raw fuel into their reactors to get away as soon as possible. As she moved out of range the Oracle class scout cruiser, Pythia, fired one last missile to dissuade pursuit. Her crew sat stunned as the missile bored deep into the hull of the Hatred and blew it to shards. The last shot of the game with one whole attack dice and utmost range had manged to kill the tough Narn destroyer! But it was far too little and too late.


Victory to the Narn once again and once again humanities finest prove to be no such thing.





War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/10/05 09:41:45


Post by: Mr Morden


Normally a ship without a Advanced Jump Engine can;t fire the turn it emerges from a Jump Point if there is not a scout on the table so its risky - but you might be house ruiling that?

Great report though


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/10/05 09:59:44


Post by: ingtaer


 Mr Morden wrote:
Normally a ship without a Advanced Jump Engine can;t fire the turn it emerges from a Jump Point if there is not a scout on the table so its risky - but you might be house ruiling that?

Great report though


Yeah its houseruled to make up for not allowing jump point bombs (and it gets shown on screen a few times as well). Hope to have some or all of turn 6 up before too much longer.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/10/05 10:06:01


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
 Mr Morden wrote:
Normally a ship without a Advanced Jump Engine can;t fire the turn it emerges from a Jump Point if there is not a scout on the table so its risky - but you might be house ruiling that?

Great report though


Yeah its houseruled to make up for not allowing jump point bombs (and it gets shown on screen a few times as well). Hope to have some or all of turn 6 up before too much longer.


Cool - makes a lot of ships and that tactic lot more useful Especially enjoy the narrative elements.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/10/05 10:18:13


Post by: ingtaer


Cheers, its surprising how few times attacking through a point has come up (I think that was the first? maybe the second) as most people don't want to split their forces.

Glad you enjoy the narrative I struggle to know how much should be written that way and how much not, I have received a request to write a report totally factually which I might do for giggles, like Rimmer in RD, I rolled a six and a three followed by a six and a one and then a three and a four! It may be boring but it killed me a G'Quan!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/11/12 01:12:51


Post by: ingtaer


Sorry for the long delay again, every single time I say a deadline or time frame life comes along and kicks me in the head.

Still; I have managed to get my first full 10pt Battle fleet painted, based and ready for war. For those who have been following my progress this year it may come as somewhat of a surprise;
Spoiler:




Yep its a Shadow fleet, not one of the three fleets I had intended to get done but I found them sitting in a box from when I moved to NZ and thought I could knock them out pretty quick (mostly because they are black...). The smaller spiders are used to represent the Battle level Shadow Stalker which is supposed to use the same model as the scout, I find it easier to use a different model as then one can tell at a glance which are scouts and which not.



Hope to get next game done...


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/11/12 13:28:05


Post by: Mr Morden


Ohh thats exciting for obvious reasons


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/11/22 03:00:09


Post by: ingtaer


Mr Morden I hope they will up to your expectations...

Finally got my ISA fleet finished with the Nials for the mkii WS.


And a pair of Hyach frigates;


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/11/22 21:24:21


Post by: Mr Morden


Nicely done , nicely done


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/11/23 15:29:45


Post by: Easy E


Nice fleet. The Shadows too.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/11/28 12:04:44


Post by: ingtaer


Turn 6, Game 1

Welcome to turn 6 of the campaign, messed around with my camera somewhat to try and get some better photos but without any luck.
Turn 6 opened with the Narn gaining the strategic initiative and declaring an attack against the Centauri held Markab beacon observation post buried deep in the asteroid field whilst both the Earth Alliance and Interstellar Alliance moved to occupy the only free planet, Septis V.

Game 1



The mission was selected as a raid level planetary assault, in this scenario the attacker (Narn) gets a seven point fleet whilst the defender (Centauri) has five points and has to defend a fixed point. this would normally be a planet but in this instance we used a space station to represent the observation post;


Force selection and deployment

The Centauri player selected two wolf packs each comprising of a Maximus and two Vorchans as well as a Balvarin carrier and an Altarian destroyer. They deployed with one wolf pack, the Balvarin and the Altarian flanking along the northern table edge whilst the other wolf pack were deployed to move south.


The Narn force does not start deployed on the table but moves on from the table edge furthest from the observation post.


The Narn player selected a balanced fleet consisting of a pair of G'Quan (Sword of G'Tal to the north and Karith to the south) along with a pair of Var'Nic (Vengeance and Destruction) and a pair of Thentus (Revenge and Retribution).


Turns 1 and 2
Lord Tavari heard laughter ahead, the raucous laughter of those far gone and too deep in their cups. To say he was angry was to understate the true depth of his rage, the war had been going worse and worse, his fleet was scattered and burning all over the sector and the damn fools were getting drunk! He stalked through the newly cleaned hallways of the Markab observation post that still reeked of the death of its builders and approached the main command post, just as he was about to enter the tall doorway the lights flickered red and sirens began to wail. Once again they were under attack, once again the hounds of war called him to duty. As he stepped into the circular command deck his hearts trilled with pleasure to see what had until a moment ago been a drunk revel was now transformed into the beating pulse of war. Every man now alert and at his post ready to rain fire down upon their foes. Beaten down his house maybe, but beaten they were not!

The game began with the Narn powering into the field of combat, split into two equal groups with one group heading to oppose the Centauri on the northern flank and the other group heading straight for the observation post. The Centauri ships powered up their reactors and began to swing into attack formation, to the north the first wolf pack powered forward whilst the Balvarin spat out fighters by the score, to the south the second wolf pack began to head around the asteroid field and into open space.




Turn 3
For the third turn both fleets continue to close. Against any conventional tactical doctrine the Centauri wolf packs closed their formation to try and tempt the Narn to expend their tougher hulls rather than against the Sentri flights that were massing into a huge wing in between the two arms of their fleet. The Narn oblige them with both G'Quans spinning up their launchers and tossing overloaded fighter power cores into the centre of both squadrons. To the South the Karith scored significant damage to the closest Vorchan whilst only scratching the paint of her wing mates not content with this her heavy laser cannons flared bright red and slashed into the Vorchan that was already bleeding atmosphere and smashed apart further armour and bulkheads. In the north the Sword of G'Tal would not be out done and added to the carnage, a bright white light blossomed in space as an energy mine ripped into the wolf pack closing on her ripping into the graceful Centauri hulls and causing severe damage to all three. As her prow drifted past the Vorchan skirting the rocks her main cannons spoke out and contemptuously ripped it from space, atomising the crew with their ship in a brief glare of fire.




Turn 4
Reeling from the mine and loss of their squadron mate the northern wolf pack broke formation but carried on closing while the southern wolf pack acquired the perfect coordinates in order to inflict the most damage on the Karith. With the coordinates set all three ships opened fire, a massive barrage of explosive shells and antimatter cannon fire slammed into the monstrous Narn cruiser and burrowed deep into her armoured hull, ripping apart her point defence guns and smashing into her engineering spaces. With fire spewing from gaping holes in her superstructure the quantium 40 in her jump engine began to destabilize and eventually a massive section of her hull blew apart in a cloud of refined alloys. Emerging from the cloud of her own innards the mighty ship was not yet done and her guns spat back in rage, the Maximus at the centre of the Centauri squadron shuddered under the repeated blows until it collapsed into itself. On her beam the Var'Nic Destruction layed her gun on the Vorchan next to the ruined wreck and blasted her to pieces in one swift volley.



In the north the two closing fleets spat fire and death at each other, every second marking a score of deaths and a new pillar of fire. The Maximus that had been trailing the wolf pack got one brief clear window of opportunity and with a time on target barrage blasted the engines of Sword of G'Tal to waste as she swung around but in a tit for tat exchange the G'Quan atomized her aggressor in return. With her engines gone the Narn flagship began to list and roll under the impetus of her last planned maneuver, seeing her vulnerable the last remaining Vorchan swooped in for the kill. Yawing to match her foes spin her guns blazed as her experienced crew targeted those spots most vulnerable in the crude Narn ship, with the gaping hull in her engineering decks her aft armour could not withstand the brutal assault and power relays blew out across the ship as a single well aimed ion torpedo lanced into a munitions locker and blasted a massive hole through the ship. Amazingly the Narn ship survived the titanic blast, crippled but still capable of fighting. To end the turn the Vengeance swatted at the Altarian and blasted apart her bridge sending her tumbling end over end on her final voyage to the rim.


Turn 5

The Centauri remnants lapped around the Narn fleet and their fighters jumped the Frazi squadrons that were flying escort for the Narn capital ships whilst four squadrons lined up for an attack run on the Thentus Revenge. As they closed into range her point defence guns blitzed a storm of shells into their path and took out an entire squadron, whilst the three remaining squadrons only managed to cause minimal damage. Within the overlapping dogfights the Narn succeed in shooting down a single Sentri flight and lost two of their own in return. On the southern front the Karith blasted apart the Vorchan that was flanking her whilst in the north the Sword of G'Tal succumbed to the continuing attention of the Vorchan that was circling her. A spread of ion torpedoes marking the death of the pride of the Narn fleet. But it was too little and far too late, the day clearly belonged to the Narn and the two remaining Centauri warships fled into hyperspace leaving their fighters and the crew of the observation post to their fate...


With that last flurry of fire the battle was over and thanks to the pathetic tactics of the fan heads they once more got their heads kicked in.



War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/11/29 18:00:02


Post by: Easy E


The Centauri Commander must really hate his men for partying. He hated them so much, he got them all killed!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/01 11:10:01


Post by: ingtaer


Ha! I had to narratively make them either drunk or Narn agents to explain why they have fought so awfully, drunk won out as it always should.

I really wish I could get some better pics, the lighting doesn't help as it has four different light sources using three different bulb types but my lack of talent isn't helping. How do you manage yours? Your pics always look so good.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/01 19:59:39


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
Ha! I had to narratively make them either drunk or Narn agents to explain why they have fought so awfully, drunk won out as it always should.

I really wish I could get some better pics, the lighting doesn't help as it has four different light sources using three different bulb types but my lack of talent isn't helping. How do you manage yours? Your pics always look so good.


That is some scary bad playing - some one really needs to talk to the player about Iniative sinks - if you have to play with a Wolf pack at elast have the rest of your fleet as In sinks.

Altarians are always upgraded to Eluratians Balvarins are also pretty good gunships.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/02 13:31:00


Post by: ingtaer


 Mr Morden wrote:
 ingtaer wrote:
Ha! I had to narratively make them either drunk or Narn agents to explain why they have fought so awfully, drunk won out as it always should.

I really wish I could get some better pics, the lighting doesn't help as it has four different light sources using three different bulb types but my lack of talent isn't helping. How do you manage yours? Your pics always look so good.


That is some scary bad playing - some one really needs to talk to the player about Iniative sinks - if you have to play with a Wolf pack at elast have the rest of your fleet as In sinks.

Altarians are always upgraded to Eluratians Balvarins are also pretty good gunships.


For reasons of continuity I cant really explain this fully at the moment, he is however a reasonably experienced player and chose to play Centauri precisely because of their excellent ships at the skirmish and raid levels and knows fully how to exploit int sinks (his own fleet has twelve havens and six kuati for a reason!). Cant comment on the ship choice, not my cup of tea. I would always go for Sullusts or more Vorchan/Demos. Hopefully everything will become clear after the next couple of campaign reports (when I get around to writing them... )


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/02 18:27:27


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
 Mr Morden wrote:
 ingtaer wrote:
Ha! I had to narratively make them either drunk or Narn agents to explain why they have fought so awfully, drunk won out as it always should.

I really wish I could get some better pics, the lighting doesn't help as it has four different light sources using three different bulb types but my lack of talent isn't helping. How do you manage yours? Your pics always look so good.


That is some scary bad playing - some one really needs to talk to the player about Iniative sinks - if you have to play with a Wolf pack at elast have the rest of your fleet as In sinks.

Altarians are always upgraded to Eluratians Balvarins are also pretty good gunships.


For reasons of continuity I cant really explain this fully at the moment, he is however a reasonably experienced player and chose to play Centauri precisely because of their excellent ships at the skirmish and raid levels and knows fully how to exploit int sinks (his own fleet has twelve havens and six kuati for a reason!). Cant comment on the ship choice, not my cup of tea. I would always go for Sullusts or more Vorchan/Demos. Hopefully everything will become clear after the next couple of campaign reports (when I get around to writing them... )


The Centauri (as Lions of the Galaxy) are pretty spoilt for choice at all levels except War where the Octurion is pretty poor.

Demos is a wonderful ship and having a Interceptor is a big defensive bonus. Raid unless I was goign narrative it would be Balvarin and Elutarian, Are you ISD restricting cos the Liati is just deadily esp against the ISA.
maximus in 2nd is not quite as good but still a very useful ship - i used to run lots of them in 1st but in 2nd one or two at most. Primus is good but not a Liati or a Dargan and like the Octurion has range issues - both can end up hammered befoer they do anything, however your Jump point hosue rules could make them work!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/02 23:41:29


Post by: ingtaer


Nah we have no ISD restrictions (thankfully), the only two real rules that were set in choosing our fleets were selecting 2x5pt @ Battle instead of 10x Battle and no spamming initiative sinks (limit of one FAP worth).

I know when I play against Centauri (I think the last time I used the fleet myslef was ten years ago) I am always more fearful of their raid/skirmish choices than I am of the higher levels. I sent the player a message asking him why he selected what he did (for the campaign fleet) and he said that as this was for a semi narraritive campaign being posted online he wanted to use as many of the ships from the show as possible.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/22 02:14:11


Post by: ingtaer


Wow over 5000 views, those web crawlers have been busy!
Another little paint update for today. First a couple of badly painted, badly cast and badly photoed Vree saucers! I guess that serves them right for all of those abductions...



Last the first of six Drazi ships to come off the production line, the cunningly named Sun Hawk 1...


Hopefully I will update again before the new year with either more paint or the next game, but who knows? Might just hit the whiskey instead.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/22 10:22:03


Post by: Mr Morden


Sun hawk looks great

Looking forward to more.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2018/12/27 07:02:50


Post by: ingtaer


 Mr Morden wrote:
Sun hawk looks great

Looking forward to more.


Your wish is my command, another Sunhawk joins the fleet (picture with #1 to show I am not cheating!)



And my final Omega also comes to play, tried this one with the rotating section in a better angle and not just flat;


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/01/31 02:28:58


Post by: ingtaer


And after a long delay some Warbirds join the fleet;



War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/02/20 01:37:24


Post by: ingtaer


Thanks mate. I really enjoyed painting the Drazi, currently half way through some Brakiri ships and am really not enjoying them.
I should have the rest of turn 6 posted up in a couple of days (or maybe by tonight) cant believe its been three months!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/02/20 16:55:16


Post by: Easy E


I am looking forward to it!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/02/28 12:34:51


Post by: ingtaer


A few days late but better late than never. Hard to believe this write up has been going for over a year and I have only got this far. Trying out full narrative this time, enjoy!

Turn 6, Game 2



Isa v EA both attacking Septis V, the game was rolled up as a 5pt skirmish Call to Arms, with such a small game it was decided to play on a 4’x4’ table with three quality 8 asteroid field on the table.

Force selection and Deployment.
The ISA player decided to take 2 Whitestar mkI (#9 and 10) and with no other choice filled the remaining points with Shial flights drawn from the Dogato.
The EA player chose the Hyperion class ‘Gilia’, the Oracle class scout ‘Dodona’ and a pair of Olympus corvettes (‘Enipeas’ and ‘Ziliana’).

The ISA player deployed first with both Whitestars hidden behind an asteroid field and the Shials strung out across the middle of their deployment zone.


The EA player deployed with the ‘Dodona’ hiding behind a different asteroid field and the other ships clustered to push through the gap between the Eastern and Northern asteroid fields.



Turn 1
The sweep of Septis V’s near space was going well, mused Commodore Amaechi. They had had a brush with raiders yesterday and swiftly annihilated them. Amaechi was a seasoned sailor, his first posting was as weapons officer on a Nova at the Battle of the Line and he had swiftly risen through the ranks as a survivor of that conflict. Now he was commander of a powerful combat group, the Gilia was an old but powerful ship and supported by a dedicated scout ship as well as two corvettes they should be able to overmatch anything else likely to be snooping around.
Suddenly alarms started to chime and an instant later Captain Harris of the Olympus Dodona was on comms, “Contact! Two ships hiding behind the furthest debris field, silhouette unknow but engine lines indicate Minbari”
Minbari.
The Commodore felt a thrill of fear course through him, of his entire class at the Academy that had started the last war only five others had survived to see its sudden end. After a brief moment of hesitation he gave the order. “Close all blast doors, bring the ship to combat readiness and prepare for battle.”
Maintaining their formation, the Earth Alliance squadron came up to combat speed and began to close the distance between them and the unknown ships. He peered at the data being passed to him by the Dodona and noted that the enemy were moving fast towards the gap where his ships were aimed. He gasped in surprise as he saw both ships, frigate sized judging by the scanner return, come about like fighters. He had seen Centauri ships manoeuvring before but nothing like that. Suddenly a brief blip of a contact appeared near the further debris cloud but as suddenly as it appeared it disappeared.



Turn 2

As the ships closed the Dodona’s powerful sensors began to get clear returns on the enemy ships, according to the markings on their hulls the ships were designated 9 and 10 but they matched no known warship. He had seen Minbari warships with their stately sails before and these ships looked nothing like them, even more disturbingly their hulls seemed to shift and flow like they were alive. As he watched, the enemy ships flipped over on their long axis and began to power away back behind the debris clouds they had appeared from.
Again the sensor display blinked and suddenly a swarm of fighters appeared to starboard skirting the debris field his squadron was passing, they flickered in and out of existence as the Earth targeters tried to get a lock. With a crisp command the starboard guns of his trio of warships fired, space lit up with the bright flashing plasma of pulse cannons though the solid shot of the rail guns was invisible. They fired mostly blind but hoped that the criss crossing web of fire would scatter their targets. He watched his screen intently but no brighter flare appeared that would have marked the end of some of the Minbari Shials. A different tone sounded across the bridge indicated that his escorts had missile locks and a moment later their tracks appeared on the main sensor. He watched as the range counted down and was again astonished as the enemy ship designated 9 dodged them all.



Turn 3

“Commodore to squadron, hard to Port” Amaechi ordered. The enemy ships were going to reappear over there he was sure, even if they reversed their course he could follow them round and pin them in the gravity well of the planets third moon. He watched as the corvettes swung around and felt the deep trembling under the deck plating as his brave Gilia began to answer her helm. She had been in service longer than he had, laid down during the Dilgar War she had fought in over a dozen major engagements during her long service.
“Commodore, the Enipeas reports that she under attack.” His comm officer announced, glancing up at the main display he saw it was true enough. At that close range even Earth Force’s clumsy scanners could pick up the Minbari stealth fighters and he watched as a vast swarm began attack runs on the sturdy corvette bringing up the rear of his formation. He watched the 3d skeleton of the ship as her rear portions began to rack up damage whilst the enemy fighters danced in and out of the meagre fire of the interceptors.



Turn 4
As his ships came to their new heading the enemy ships skirted round the debris field in front of them. Klaxons sounded as the enemies scanners got an active lock on the Gilia, and also on the Enipeas he noted. A brief flurry of screams came through the communications net and the blip on the tactical display that represented his fighter screen flickered and died. Jumped by a squadron of enemy fighters with no chance to even call in the contact let alone fire a shot, the other enemy fighter squadrons continued their attacks on the Enipeas and a brief bloom of heat showed where their beam weapons set fires deep in the corvette.
Abruptly the Gilia lurched sideways as a bright flash of weaponised light slammed into her hull it was quickly followed by bright pulses of plasma, working furiously the Gilia’s interceptor grid spat millions of rounds of fire into space and managed to stop all of it. Amaechi felt sick as he say the damage and casualty reports scroll down the screen, the Neutron laser had ripped a massive hole in the port side of the superstructure and nearly half of his crew were dead. Vaporised by the brief flash of light or sucked out to die in the terror of the void.
The Gilia somehow righted herself and in an instant her prow mounted heavy laser cannon spat death back at the foe and the crew cheered with satisfaction as most of her upper wing was torn apart. The cheers doubled as a stream of railgun rounds and missiles from the pair of escorting corvettes slammed into the graceful enemy, though she did her best to dodge the incoming fire it was not enough and the ship vanished in the nuclear fireball that marked a destroyed enemy.
“One down, one to go” Amaechi was about to say in the brief moment before the remaining enemy ship fired. The aged Gilia seemed to jump sideways this time as the closing enemy ship pounded firepower into her hull, systems cut out all over the ship until all that remained was the sensors and external cameras. No other systems would respond, not even life support.



Turn 5
The air was getting thin and it was getting cold. He knew he was dead it was just a question of what killed him first and with his ship adrift, running strait toward the debris field, there was no shortage of options. Still tied to his chair by the crash webbing that was the only replacement for gravity on a Hyperion the only thing he could do was watch his screen and see how the battle ended. At least until the power died.
So he watched, he watched as the Enipeas was taken to pieces by attack run after attack run of the cloud of Shials, he saw her engines flare and die and bright fire scuttle over her hull until only a burned tomb remained.
He watched as the Ziliana swung about and pounded bright burning orbs of fire, streaking missiles and deadly railshot into the enemy designated 9. For one brief second he dared hope that the battle was won as a missile slammed into the enemies hull and flashed bright. His hope died as the nimble enemy ship pivoted and rode the damage, came about and unleashed all her guns back at her tormentor. The Ziliana’s bow buckled and vaporised as the neutron lasers pierced deck after deck and finally touched off her ammunition lockers and missile bays, space lit up bright as day as the sturdy little ship disintegrate with a light like a new born star.
The last thing that Commodore Amaechi watched was a blue funnel get ripped in space as the scout ship Dodona fled the battle and ran to bring news of the defeat back to the fleet. By then though Amaechi was watching with eyes that had frozen open as the last systems died and his ship drifted on to join its sisters as part of the debris fields around Septis V.




War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/02/28 14:57:46


Post by: Easy E


Only 4 officers left that survived the Battle of the Line.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/02/28 21:55:24


Post by: Mr Morden


Enjoyed that - nicely shown and written

Neutron Lasers and White Stars are super deadily when the dice is with them....


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/03/02 01:08:03


Post by: ingtaer


Aren't they just, playing with burgers beams makes it a little more stable but with 3 6s out of four dice all with treble damage and precise its no wonder they took out a Hyperion in a turn. Of course when the dice are not with Whitestars (like pesky dodge rolls) they die in a stiff breeze.

The next battle report will mark the end of the first chapter of the campaign and I think you will like it Mr Morden… Quick question for everyone who has been following the campaign so far, what writing style do you prefer? I do this so infrequently that I haven't settled on a style but am interested to hear peoples thoughts.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/03/26 02:08:25


Post by: ingtaer


Paint update, a pair of Brakiri Haliks;


Got a new game mat this week and am eager to get it into use, all new neoprene so hopefully shiny glare will be a thing of the past in my reports (except unpainted models...).


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/03/26 15:54:56


Post by: warboss


Nice! B5 recently was on my mind as I saw a youtube video that said the original seasons were actually rendered not on $30,000+ SGI machines like the hollywood movies but banks of lowly Amigas with video toaster boards installed and only 2mb of RAM!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/03/26 18:59:01


Post by: Mr Morden


Brakiri do make some great looking ships - nciely done


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/03/31 04:25:34


Post by: ingtaer


Thanks, got an Avioki Cruiser done as well;


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/04/11 12:47:48


Post by: ingtaer


Welcome to the final instalment of the first chapter of the War for the Markab system.

The digging on Septis II had been on going since the glorious Lion of Galaxy had taken the planet. On the Southern continent they had been working furiously to extract as many metal ores as possible to expand the fleet of House Tavari. Weeks into the digging workers started to disappear, at first no one was concerned as they were only Narn slaves. Then overseers started to go missing, then soldiers. Finally a massive search force was sent deep into the mine to unravel the mystery, what they found drove many to madness. In the cold dark below the planet's surface they found a deeper darkness. Eventually with the aid of automated worker bots the find was dragged to the surface and analysis of it could begin though it defied all the Centauri's best scientists abilities. All they could tell was that it was ancient, over a thousand years old and somehow it was alive. It spoke to the scientists that worked on it, it spoke words of madness and pain, of death and destruction and of rebirth. Finally the Centaurum and even the Emperor himself heard word of what had been uncovered on Septis II and a Royal Fleet was sent to bring the find back to Centauri Prime. After much delay and many lost lives the darkness was loaded on the most powerful ship in the fleet, a mighty Octurion Battleship and the fleet turned for home with Lord Tavari in charge...

Deployment;
The Royal Centauri fleet consisted of an Octurion Battleship, a Primus Battlecruiser, a Sulust escort destroyer, a Balvarin carrier, 2 Maximus frigates and 4 Vorchan warships. they deployed with the Sulust, Primus, Octurion and Balvarin in line astern with a Wolfpack consisting of 2 Vorchans and a Maximus on either flank.


The enemy... didn't deploy.


Lord Tavari was content. He was being recalled to Centauri Prime at the behest of the Emperor himself due to the find his workers had found on Septis II, his star was in the ascendant and soon his House would eclipse the fools and sheep of the court like Mollari or Refa. He stood in the command center of the mighty "Lion's Claw" observing the precision of the fleet maneuvering around it, whilst he was proud of his House's fleet he was deeply impressed with the professionalism of the Officers of the Royal Fleet. He gazed forward looking at the perfect alignment of the Primus Battlecruiser dead ahead and a Sulust in front of that. Suddenly space seemed to blink, he couldn't explain it but it was like a clouded lens had obscured the stars well in front of the fleet. He stared hard at the patch of space trying to work out what was happening, it wasn't a jump point opening he knew but he had never heard of any natural cause that could account for this. As he stared he began to shiver, then shake as with a mind ripping scream of horror and despair the darkness of the void came alive and turned into ships. Ships so black they seemed to be made of the deep void forged into the form of giant spiders, ships that accelerated toward his. Ships that began to spit bright pulses of light, light that cut like swords. In the blink of an eye the largest of the sudden enemies' ships beam weapon speared into the Sulust leading the convoy and in a bright flare of death its reactor blew apart in a cataclysmic ball of fire than annihilated all four of the Sentri flights that were escorting it. The turrets on the Primus ahead began to track and fire and he swore that some of the beams hit the giant spider but they seemed to cause no damage.


Lord Tavari watched as the Centauri fleet accelerated to get to grips with the unknown enemy with the Wolf Packs and fighters sweeping around to flank the foe. Suddenly an alarm started to ring, glancing at the display he saw two more enemy spider ships appear behind the fleet. Just as suddenly they fired on the Balvarin and blew it to atoms, Sentri flights swarmed all over the two new ships and started to pound away with their particle guns but to no apparent effect. At the front of the convoy the Primus and Octurion pounded firepower into the enemy capital ship blasting chunks of it into the void, in return the main enemy ship's slicer beam ripped into the Primus whos hull gave way and blistered outward as secondary explosions rippled through her. The Wolf Packs concentrated their fire on the smaller spiders but inflict little damage that he could see. Suddenly a bright blaze of light streamed past his window coming from the rear, it bored into the Primus and blasted it to pieces. On the left flank the smallest enemy ships slaughtered the brave Sentri flights that were trying to intercept them.



The fire was coming thick and fast now and Lord Tavari could barely keep track of it, he watched as the Wolf Packs split apart and sought to hunt down their own targets. The mighty Octurion suddenly lurched and shuddered as explosions rippled through it as the forward gun magazines blew apart in a spectacular fireball, another shot sliced deep into her bowels and blew apart the engineering decks. Lord Tavari decided that survival was more important than glory and sprinted to the life pods. As the capsule blew into the void he turned to watch out of the rear view window and watched in horror as the mighty Octurion blew apart under a fusillade of fire. As the fireball faded his attention was drawn forward as one of the Maximus evaporated in fire and seconds later a Vorchan followed.



Tears streamed down Tavari's face, so many had died and the fleet was in ruins. As he watched the remaining Maximus blew apart in one slicing shot, then a Vorchan, then another Vorchan. Two of the smaller spiders had trapped the last Vorchan between them and blew it apart in seconds. Lord Tavari fumbled his pistol from its holster and put it to his head, the last thing he saw was a flight of enemy fighters being cut apart by two Sentri flights. The last thought to go through his mind was a brief surge of satisfaction that the Centauri had finally destroyed some of their ships. The last thing to go through his brain was a bright bolt of weaponised light and his pod spun on into the black of the void as the nameless enemy flickered and disappeared.



Thus ends the last game of chapter one. For anyone curious the Shadow Fleet consisted of 3 Young Ships, 2 Stalkers and 4 scouts and they really did only loose one single fighter flight as well as half damage to the Young Ship that had appeared at the front of the convoy. In game terms it was absolutely ridiculous, the Shadow player ended up inflicting 27 critical hits on the Centauri ships (8 of them on the Balvarin alone) and one shotted both Maximus, 3 of four Vorchan and the Balvarin.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/04/11 19:32:42


Post by: Mr Morden


Awesome report

One of the things about the game is that the higher powered races do play in a similar way to tehy act on screen.

So a Early Years EA fleet is horribly outmatched by a Minbari fleet and most powers die horrbily to the Ancients - although Dilgar are pure death to Vorlon fleets


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/04/12 02:05:36


Post by: ingtaer


Thought that would make you happy!

I am still not convinced on the Vorlons, so susceptible to being initiative sunk to death.

Of course this last report was deliberately horribly unbalanced as the Shadow fleet was 10pt and the Centauri were 6pt but it was not helped by the fact that the Centauri fleet were forced to take an Octurion (which is pretty crap) and the Maximuses are of pretty much no use against a beam heavy fleet.

Still if the game hadn't been played on Vassal we would have had to have checked the Shadow players dice for weights, he consistently rolled sixes for beams (we use Burgers system), for damage and for crits! Nicely turned the report into what was shown on the screen though!

Would love to see a Dilgar v Vorlon game as I never have. Speaking of Dilgar... that's the campaign we are playing at the moment!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/07/03 03:42:08


Post by: ingtaer


Long break between posts as normal! Finished an Abbai Cruiser using the new Contrast paint for the hull.



War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/07/03 12:02:19


Post by: Mr Morden


Nice looknig ship - what range is that from?

Going back to Dilgar vs Vorlons - the Dilgar win because they have so many missiles hitting from long range, plenty of cheap scouts to get re-rolls and the Vorlons are Hull 5 with no active defences. By the time they get into range they have usually taken nast crits. Shadows at least have stealth and or shields/dodge.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/07/03 14:22:31


Post by: Easy E


Looks like a something from Firestorm Armada.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/07/03 16:45:58


Post by: Mr Morden


 Easy E wrote:
Looks like a something from Firestorm Armada.

Ahha yep thats what I recognise it from!


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/07/04 02:24:43


Post by: ingtaer


Indeed, google tells me it is a Directorate Vanquisher class cruiser, it was a gift from the last secret santork here. Going to be using it as an Abbai Lakara cruiser.

Mr Morden, not at all surprised that Dilgar would kick Vorlons teeth in. I actually struggle to think of any time I have seen Vorlons do well they just seem to get outflanked and torn to shreds. Love the Dilgar though, at 10pt Battle they are probably the most fun fleet to play as, loads of variety, very few auto picks, all priority levels have a useful option (thats not just ininitative sinking!) and yet handled poorly they pop like soap bubbles. Had a game of Dilgar v Narn a couple of weeks ago that was an absolute slug fest think there were three ships left on the table by turn 6.


War for the Markab system - A B5 campaign for ACTA. Paint update - Abbai Cruiser Proxy. @ 2019/07/04 21:02:03


Post by: Mr Morden


 ingtaer wrote:
Indeed, google tells me it is a Directorate Vanquisher class cruiser, it was a gift from the last secret santork here. Going to be using it as an Abbai Lakara cruiser.

Mr Morden, not at all surprised that Dilgar would kick Vorlons teeth in. I actually struggle to think of any time I have seen Vorlons do well they just seem to get outflanked and torn to shreds. Love the Dilgar though, at 10pt Battle they are probably the most fun fleet to play as, loads of variety, very few auto picks, all priority levels have a useful option (thats not just ininitative sinking!) and yet handled poorly they pop like soap bubbles. Had a game of Dilgar v Narn a couple of weeks ago that was an absolute slug fest think there were three ships left on the table by turn 6.


Vorlons (unlike the Shadows) do have both a Raid and a Skirmish level ship, They are deadly against shorter range fleets and in fact the Shadows themselves due to their beams (and the weakness of the Shadow fighters)

Dilgar are powerful but can suffer against Centauri and Minbari - both of whom have good defences and/or high hull. Centauri and Minbari fighters are also better.