Test Space Battle - Ratmen vs. Arthropod

A semi-accurate dramatisation

I've designed a set of diceless campaign and combat rules for quick resolution and solo play.

In this battle, which I used for testing the tactical rules, a Ratmen strike force enters Arthropod territory in hopes of salvage, but the enemy is right on their heels.

I randomly assigned forces, rolling 1d6 for the amount of Frigates, Cruisers and Battleships, 1d4 for Carriers and 1d10 for Fighters.

Ratmen

Frigates 4

Cruisers 1

Battleships 2

Carrier 1

Fighters 8

Arthropod

Frigates 6

Cruisers 6

Battleships 1

Carrier 1

Fighters 1

The Arthropods use two frigates for Deep Striking into the enemy Center squadron (this limits enemy deployment - perhaps they don't know that the Ratmen simply don't have enough ships to use their full potential).

Forward Battle

Ratmen deploy 4 Frigates (total score 16) and draw an 8 = 24.

Arthropod deploy 4 Frigates (total score 16) and draw a 5 = 21.

The Arthropod forward squadron is beaten back. One Frigate is destroyed.

Flank Battle

Ratmen deploy 1 Cruiser (total score 5) and draw a 6 =11.

Arthropod deploy 4 Cruisers (total score 20) and draw a 6 = 26.

The Ratmen squadron is destroyed.

Center Battle

Ratmen deploy 2 Battleships (total score 8) and have two enemy Frigates Deep Striking. They draw a 7 = 15.

Arthropod deploy 1 Battleship and 2 Cruisers (total score 10). They draw a 2=12.

The Arthropod center is set back and loses a Battleship.

The Ratmen commit their reserve. 

The Arthropod choose to stay on the defensive.

Ratmen deploy the Carrier and its 8 Fighters.

Against the enemy center: Ratmen remove an enemy Cruiser from play

Ratmen 3+8 (total 11) and draw Q+2 =23

Arthropod 3 and draw K+10 = 23 - the reserve battle is drawn, the battle ends.

In game terms, this is a narrow tactical victory for the Ratmen, but more importantly they dealt a lot of damage and suffered minor losses of their own, which could have potential strategic consequences if this were a campaign and not a one-off battle.

Total losses:

Ratmen = 1 cruiser destroyed (total Resource value 3)

Arthropod = 3 Frigates (one in action and two Deep Striking), 2 Cruises and 1 Battleship lost (total Resource value 16)

Test Results

The game is based on my card-driven 18th century rules, with more unit removal, which is in direct correlation with the results of each battle sub-phase. It seems to be working seamlessly on paper, but I suspect more unregulated situations could arise if I continued playtesting.

The Ratmen forgot to use their Fighter supremacy to prompt the enemy to draw a new card during the Flank Battle, but I guess their numerical inferiority would have rendered that ability useless anyway.