Six games played end of May - all 1000 points
The weak Spanish government, which colonized the Philippines, is not only facing a rebellion of indigenous populations. It is also facing the greed of the major world powers. FSA, KOB, EOBS, PE, COA and ROF consider the fruit is now ripe. Their heavy warships approach the Philippines. Fishermen from Bulusan of Virac return to port as they spot dark shapes on the horizon, and many reconnaissance aircrafts.
For this small 4 players tournament, each of us prepared 3 lists, naval or aerial. No medium/large/massive model was allowed to be used in more than one list. I prepared (a) 2 FSA and one KOB lists. The others prepared: (b) 3 COA lists (c) 3 ROF lists (one aerial) (d) 2 EOBS and 1 PE lists.
One random list was then given to another player and each player secretly decided which list he would play against each other player.
This led to unusual and funny COA vs COA and ROF vs ROF games (... hence the name "Betrayal in the Philippines").
- Player A (me) played the following lists: FSA / COA / KOB
- Player B : FSA / COA / COA
- Player C: EOBS / ROF / ROF
- Player D: EOBS / ROF / PE
FIRST ROUND
FSA vs EOBS (player A vs player D) - Crushing victory for EOBS (player D)
- FSA had 2 x 4 Augusta, 1 Annapolis (shield), 3 Lee, 1 Valley and 1 Independance (shield)
- EOBS had 4 Yurgi, 3 MkI Honshu, 3 Arashi, 1 Raijin and 1 Kaiju (shield) with 2 Kitsune
Field orders: FSA drew Free to engage (70%). EOBS drew the same.
Summary / highlights:
FSA tryed to get close but suffered a lot from the huge amount of rockets EOBS was able to fire from far away. The Lee airships that flew above islands were perfect targets for the Japanese fleet - one was destroyed during the first turn, and another was sunk every turn after.
Augusta frigates rushed forward but did not get through either.
At the end of the game, FSA had only managed to sink the Raijin and one Yurgi destroyer.
FSA vs EOBS (player B vs player C) - Minor victory for EOBS (player C)
- FSA had 1 Savannah, 1 Boston, 1 Independance with 2 Springfield, 2 Georgetown, 1 B72 and 5 Revere
- EOBS had 1 Sokotsu, 1 Kiyohime, 1 Mizuchi, 3 Tanuki, 3 Nakatsu and 5 Fujin
Field orders: FSA drew Thin their ranks (small). EOBS drew Break their backs (medium).
Summary / highlights:
A crazy game with many unexpected developments.
The big island in the middle blocked lines of sight between the left side and the right side of the table.
On the right side, the B72 heavy bomber was targeted by Japanese cruisers and was destroyed before being able to use its bombs. The Boston submarine was boarded by the Tanuki gunships.
On the left side, the Mizuchi battle cruiser was teleported outside the table. The Savannah sky fortress sunk a Tanuki gunship. The Japanese Fujin corvettes ravaged the American Revere corvettes. The last Georgetown survived till the last turn despite an incredible amount of shots and rams but the Savannah sky fortress was prized by lucky Japanese cruisers (only 3 AP lost on the Japanese side).
SECOND ROUND
COA1 vs COA2 (player B vs player A) - Crushing victory for COA2 (player A)
- COA1 had 2 Aristote escorted by 3 Galen, 1 Pericles, 2 Plato (energy weapons) and 3 Plutarch
- COA2 had 1 Aronnax, 2 Callimachus, 2 Kepler, 1 Hyperbius, 3 Zeno and 2 Plutarch
Field orders: COA1 drew Free to engage (70%). COA2 drew Break their backs (medium models).
Summary / highlights: hiding behind the big island, the first Callimachus orb teleported the Zeno cruisers and the latter wreaked havoc on the first half of the opposing fleet. Then the second Callimachus orb, escorted by the Aronnax, climbed on the island and spread panic and fear among other enemy ships that were approaching.
ROF1 vs ROF2 (player D vs player C) - Crushing victory for ROF1 (player D)
- ROF1 had 3 Magenta (with cloud generators), 3 Dieppe, 4 Epaulard, 2 Requin
- ROF2 had 2 Tourbillon, 1 Couronne, 2 Toulon, 3 Furieux, 2 Requin, 2 Frelon
Field orders: both drew Thin their ranks (small).
Summary / highlights: Magenta are fast, strong and powerful (and inexpensive) so it was an easy game for ROF1.
ROF2 air models tried to approach, under fire from Magenta and Epaulard bombards. Furieux Airships were destroyed one by one before they could become threatening. Dieppe cruisers boarded the Couronne carrier. ROF2 Requin corvettes boarded a Dieppe but were quickly destroyed after. The 2 Frelon planes desperately tried to bomb the ROF1 Requin corvettes but were also destroyed. During the last turn, a Tourbillon sky fortress was successfully boarded by a Magenta and ROF1 won an undisputed victory.
THIRD ROUND
COA vs PE (player B vs player D) - Crushing victory for COA (player B)
- PE had 1 Elbe, 1 Rhine, 3 Hussar, 3 Donnerfaust and 5 Saxony
- COA had 1 Diophantus, 1 Hippasus, 3 Cleomedes, 2 Fresnel, 4 Diogene and 5 Thales
Field orders: PE drew Vital assets destruction (destroy all large/massive models) and COA drew Thin their ranks (destroy all small models)
Summary / highlights:
Turn 1: the Prussian fleet suffered a lot from long distance shots and inflicted almost no damage during the first turn. A Donnerfaust cruiser was sunk. Hussar gunships rushed forward and were also heavily damaged.
Turn 2: despite many interceptions, drones inflicted heavy losses on Prussian ships. The Cleomedes cruisers also took their toll. At the end of the turn, only one Hussar gunship was left. The Elbe and Rhine carriers were also greatly affected. Prussian ships did once again negligible damage to the COA fleet.
Turn 3: the last Hussar boarded a Fresnel gunship. Last drones were destroyed and Prussian carriers launched waves of bombers in the sky. The Prussian corvettes left the shelter of a big island (fatal mistake if you remember Field orders above) and boarded the Hippasus (prized) while destroying small enemy models. The Diophantus, under crossfire from Rhine and Elbe, began to suffer. A Cleomedes cruiser was sunk. The game seemed to be at a turning point.
Turn 4: The Diophantus was repaired and the COA methodically sunk each remaining Prussian corvette so as to achieve its Field order. Repeated attacks of bombers and Tesla weapons damaged the Diophantus. The latter had only one HP left, its shield generator was gone, ... the Rhine carrier fired all its weapons and ... did nothing.
KOB vs ROF (player A vs player C) - Crushing victory for ROF (player C)
- KOB had 1 Monarch, 1 Ruler, 3 Tribal with 1 Dominion, 1 Halifax and 3 Stalwart
- ROF had 1 Saint-Malo with Ecuyer, 1 Rochelle with Ecuyer, 3 Cherbourg and 2 Requin
Field orders: KOB drew Free to engage (70%). ROF drew Thin their ranks (small models).
Summary / highlights:
KOB tried to stay at long range so as to damage the 3 Cherbourg before they get at RB2. But ROF hid all its medium models behind the big Rochelle and Saint-Malo battleships while approaching.
All KOB guns firing together were unable to hurt the French cloud-protected battleships but the latter reduced to ashes the Tribal/Dominion squadron.
In the last turns, the Halifax successfully damaged both French battleships (2 + 3 HP) but was quickly destroyed after. The 3 Stalwart did not do much before being sunk.
Ruler and Monarch were only slightly damaged during this game, as destroying all Britannian medium and small models was enough to achieve the French Field order.
CONCLUSION
With 2 crushing victories, player D won the tournament and became Prince of the Philippines!
