New Kilrathi Ship and Pilot Tactics

Previous Entry: The New Tactics of Space Combat Operations

New Kilrathi Ship and Pilot Tactics

The format first used at the academy had become the Intel standard for discussing and displaying the tactics employed by Kilrathi ships. The information on each enemy fighter type and on each Kilrathi ace was based on the state of the engagement and the amount of damage already incurred by that ship or that pilot's ship. For example, for each Kilrathi ship and pilot the tactics were based on nine categories that indicated the state of the confrontation:

1. Enemy Near - our fighter(s) were close by.

2. Enemy Slow - our fighter(s) were moving slowly.

3. Enemy Far - our fighter(s) were in the distance.

4. Enemy Tailing - our fighter(s) were close behind.

5. Head-to-Head - our fighter(s) were approaching head on.

6. On Enemy Tail - close and behind one of our fighters.

7. Missile Coming - one of our missiles was approaching.

8. Laser Hit - fighter hit by our laser/gun fire.

9. Enemy Destroyed - ship destroyed one of our fighters.

Terran Intelligence also determined that different tactics were used based on the amount of damage that the enemy ship had already taken. For example, an enemy ship might attempt a different tactic when heavily damaged than before taking any damage. So for each of the situations listed above, Intelligence provided tactics employed when:

1. The Kilrathi fighter had taken little or no damage.

2. The Kilrathi fighter had taken medium damage.

3. The Kilrathi fighter was almost destroyed.

Unfortunately, computer analysis wasn't an exact science and the profiles couldn't tell us what an enemy ship or pilot would always do in a specific situation. Instead, they provided percentages that told us how likely it was that a specific tactic would be employed. The percentages were provided for each of the nine categories and each of the three states of damage. For example, the profile would tell us that in a missile-coming situation when the Kilrathi fighter had taken no damage, the fighter would try a fish-hook maneuver 60 percent of the time and a tight loop 40 percent of the time. On the following pages are the profiles for each new fighter and enemy ace in the Kilrathi fleet.

Sartha Light Fighter

Enemy Near

No Damage - 70% try to tail; 30% random offense
Medium Damage - 80% try to tail; 20% random offense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Slow

No Damage - 80% strafe attack; 20% get distance
Medium Damage - 50% strafe attack; 50% try to tail
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Far

No Damage -100% intercept enemy fighter
Medium Damage -100% intercept enemy fighter
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Tailing

No Damage - 90% break left; 10% random defense
Medium Damage - 90% break left; 10% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Head-to-Head

No Damage - 50% random defense; 50% random offense
Medium Damage - 80% rand. defense; 20% rand. offense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

On Enemy Tail

No Damage -100% random offense
Medium Damage -100% random offense
Almost Destroyed -100% random offense

Missile Coming

No Damage -100% random defense
Medium Damage - 20% break left; 80% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Laser Hit

No Damage -100% random defense
Medium Damage - 25% break left; 75% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Destroyed

No Damage -100% veer away
Medium Damage -100% veer away
Almost Destroyed -100% veer away

Drakhri Medium Fighter

Enemy Near

No Damage - 40% try to tail; 60% random offense
Medium Damage - 70% try to tail; 30% random offense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Slow

No Damage - 80% strafe attack; 20% get distance
Medium Damage - 50% strafe attack; 50% best strafe
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Far

No Damage -100% intercept enemy fighter
Medium Damage -100% intercept enemy fighter
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Tailing

No Damage - 50% tight loop; 50% random defense
Medium Damage - 50% roll over; 50% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Head-to-Head

No Damage - 70% random offense; 30% random defense
Medium Damage - 60% rand. offense; 40% rand. defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

On Enemy Tail

No Damage -100% random offense
Medium Damage -100% random offense
Almost Destroyed -100% random offense

Missile Coming

No Damage -100% random defense
Medium Damage -100% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Laser Hit

No Damage - 50% corkscrew; 50% random defense
Medium Damage -100% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Destroyed

No Damage -100% veer away
Medium Damage -100% veer away
Almost Destroyed -100% veer away

Jalkehi Heavy Fighter

Enemy Near

No Damage - 40% try to tail; 60% strafe attack
Medium Damage - 40% try to tail; 60% strafe attack
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Slow

No Damage -100% sit and fire
Medium Damage -100% sit and fire
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Far

No Damage -100% intercept enemy fighter
Medium Damage -100% intercept enemy fighter
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Enemy Tailing

No Damage - 90% random defense; 10% turn and fire
Medium Damage - 90% random defense; 10% burn out
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Head-to-Head

No Damage -100% strafe attack
Medium Damage -100% strafe attack
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

On Enemy Tail

No Damage -100% random offense
Medium Damage -100% random offense
Almost Destroyed - 100% random offense

Missile Coming

No Damage -100% random defense
Medium Damage -100% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% run away at full afterburners

Laser Hit

No Damage -10% turn and spin; 90% random defense
Medium Damage - 100% random defense
Almost Destroyed -100% random defense

Enemy Destroyed

No Damage -100% veer away
Medium Damage -100% veer away
Almost Destroyed -100% veer away

Grikath Heavy Fighter

Next Entry: Gwynedd System - Series 1 - Mission 1