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View Full Version : Starting Dystopian Wars with FSA. Need help!



Infinite Freedom
08-22-2013, 12:06 AM
Basically I've played a few games with the FSA Naval starter, with only 1 win in 4 games, and I need help with tactics and what to get next.

Any help is appreciated.

Daemonette666
08-23-2013, 03:32 AM
I do not own any sets for either the FSA, Prussians, Blazing Suns, or British. However I have a decent understanding of the tactics for the game, and own fleets,air forces and armies for Covenant of Antarctica, Russians and French. and have recently purchased the 2 box sets for the Ottomans and the Australians.

If you are using the basic FSA box set with the Battleship, then it is a decent core set. Nothing too over powered, but not all together weak either. I would recommend getting another box set, perhaps the FSA Battle group which has a Dreadnought, 2 Gunships, 3 escorts, and 4 Destroyers. This will allow you to add and swap out squadrons to suit the army you are going to face off against. and help get the points values more even is you do not have enough points to match their force normally.

Tactics: As the game is set so that each Squadron is activated, has its turn of movement, shooting, and then proceeds to handle its repairs/ puts out fires, etc, then you need to consider which units you need to shoot with first (which are the most vulnerable in your force, and which if the enemy shoots at them before you get to use them will be less effective). Of ten this is the smaller craft like the frigates, destroyers, etc. If you get and use Destroyers, they have the pack hunter rule. Use it while you can and take out some of their cruisers, or other small ships. Keep your squadrons near each other, so they support each other (unless you have a special plan in mind like a hammer/anvil attack to pick on their battleship, etc).

Your battleship may get picked on first. If it does then pick an enemy squadron that has moved in close as your target, and concentrate fire form each squadron (in its turn) to take it out with any weapon that have arc and ideal range to hurt it. If enemy squadrons are in other arcs, then take the time to hurt them as well, but pick on one main target until it dies off, then move onto the next one.

Also study the strengths and weaknesses of your enemy forces. Look at their stats. If they are strong in boarding and assaults, keep range from them, or use screening units to stop them. If they have a plethora of rockets (even though you have rockets as well), keep them at range band 1, so they can not use them, and try to keep out of the other guns arcs. If you do this then target their other squadrons with your rockets, and then you can assault the enemy yourself.

You do have a nice assault unit in the flying robots. There is even a new aerial robot group that includes 3 John Henry robots, and 4 of the new freedom class small robots. They can not take a ship as a prize, but they can derelict it, and are always nice to bother the enemy with.

If I were you I might even consider getting a set of the Australian naval box set, and building a royal Australia and New Zealand Fleet as allies. The set gives you 900 points of squadrons, and has 2 submarine tenders that can spawn (deploy) up to 8 attack subs. these have the ferocious rule and a AD of 1 each. You move up, try to avoid getting shot up by enemy CC defensive fire, then face off against their AD. Your 8 subs each have 1 AD, but add 1 to the dice roll. Your tenders can deploy new subs up to 4 each at the beginning of their activation phase, and threaten to assault more pesky enemy coming at you. I also like the Australian Gunships which are 90 points each, and have a squadron of 2 ships whose fore gun has attack stats of 8/13/8 for the first 3 attack ranges. They are also have broadsides, and can take a little bit of damage as well.

If I am playing an enemy who is faster, then I destroy them piece meal, but concentrate fire on the smaller units, or the units that are the biggest threats to my force. If they have a slow moving force, and tend to stay together, I use the islands and other terrain to limit which units can shoot at my forces, then get as many units to pick on one squadron. If you can split a squadron up so they are out of command/ formation range and then force a morale roll then good, +1 success roll needed.

Use your torpedo bombers and your fighters, as they have some really good rules, but do not waste them. Also remember the fighters can be used as a CAP for a capitol class ship.

I can not think of much else right now. I mainly use my CoA forces, and recently have allied my CoFA fleet to them to make up for my poor ability to handle boarding actions.

Good luck with it all.

Infinite Freedom
08-24-2013, 07:08 PM
I've got the Dreadnaught group on the way as well as the carrier set. I've managed to win two games since posting, though the second was due to a lucky set of 6's against a Russian battleship.