Greetings!

So, it’s been over two years since I’ve discussed this topic, and since then Spartan has released battlecruisers for all 7 core factions. I thought it might be interesting to take a brief look at this ship type and evaluate their capabilities and what roles they might play in their faction’s forces. In the process, I will be referencing the stats for each ship, which I am providing here in the form of YouLookLikeANail’s stat cards for convenience. (Editor’s Note: The stat cards used in this article are outdated. I’ve made notes where there have been changes. Thanks to the aptly-named Watchdog on the SG forums for catching my error!)

General

First, I think it will be helpful to look at the generic stat “envelope” for the BC type. In general, a DW BC is going to be a Medium Captial Naval model, with a DR/CR of 5/7, a speed of 8 inches, and 6 hull points. They weigh in at about 115 points, plus upgrades. So, it is clear that the BC platform is pretty beefy, and is a true half-step between a cruiser and a battleship in terms of its durability and hull points. I think the decision to make BCs Medium-sized models is an interesting one; it seems to me that they could have easily been bumped into the Large category based on points and stats. However, having them as mediums does make them a bit more available, since they will not be competing with Battleships and other big-ticket units for a slice of the Large portion of a core naval force.

All battlecruisers also receive the Combat Patrol and Strategic Battle (25) MARs. Combat Patrol means that they can have SAS Fighters attached to them as a CAP, which can com in handy for defending these valuable ships. Strategic Value is, of course, a negative MAR of sorts, since it provides your opponent with an extra incentive to target your BCs.

Kingdom of Britannia

(Note: The Lord Hood now has 5 CC) First up is the Britannian Lord Hood-class BC. It is a dedicated gun platform, carrying 3 main turrets and no other weapons. The model has good reach, developing a respectable 7 AD at RB4, and an impressive 11 AD at RB3. The Lord Hood also has the interesting Hit & Run MAR, allowing it to move-shoot-move (assuming that the first move less than half the max move). The Lord Hood has a shield generator, which comes in handy, and also has the highest base speed stat (10″) of any of the 7 BCs. This ship is a bit odd…with no secondary weapons, it is somewhat limited in its attack options. The Hit and Run ability does open up some interesting tactical options, but in general the Lord Hood strikes me as a bit under-gunned for the points.

Prussian Empire

Next up, the PE have the Königsberg-class BC. This ship fits the standard BC stat template pretty well, although it does have a Tesla generator that will, on average, make it just as fast as its nominally speedier Britannian counterpart. The PE ship has a much more impressive weapons mix, as well. Long-range firepower from the two main turrets is a bit light, at only 5AD in RB4 and 9AD in RB3. However, in RB3 the Königsberg’s other weapons kick in, including a heavy Speerscheulder.  The model also comes with the Specialized Defenses MAR, helping to make it a harder target for enemy boarders. However, not having a shield generator makes the PE battlecruiser somewhat vulnerable. With its weapons mix and AD values, the Königsberg is clearly a close-support ship for the PE. With its speed, it can close to RB1 or 2 and unleash heavy bombardments, stick lightning rods into targets, and even board if need be. The only problem is that it will inevitably take some serious damage on the way in due to its relatively low DR/CR and lack of shielding.

Federated States of America

(Note: The base cost for the Annapolis is now 120 points, and the Shield 2 upgrade is now +5 points) In the FSA corner, we have the Annapolis-class BC. The Annapolis, like most American ships, gets a handy +1 to its DR, up to 6. It is a bit slow at 7″, but does come with a stock Kinetic generator that boosts its speed up to 10″ on average. That kinetic generator can be swapped out for a shield generator, though. The Annapolis has some ferocious long-range firepower, getting 9 AD at RB4 and 12 AD at RB 3. Also at RB 3, the Annapolis gains a 8 AD rocket attack, more than enough to threaten other medium ships. Adding even more punch to the ship’s firepower is the Sustained Fire MAR, allowing it to re-roll one miss from the initial attack roll made from the main turrets. With these stats, it seems to me like the Annapolis can be used in one of two ways; the first one is to serve as a mid to long range support ship, sitting back and hammering away with its guns. In this role, it makes sense to swap the Kinetic generator for the Shields, since the goal will be to keep the range open for as long as possible. The other way to use the Annapolis would be as a close-range brawler; here the Kinetic generator and the Crew upgrade makes sense, as they will allow the ship to close range with the enemy and make it more resistant to boarding.

Empire of the Blazing Sun

(Note: The Mizuchi’s base cost is now 120 points) The Blazing Sun’s BC is the Mizuchi-class. This ship gets the standard EotBS +1 to the CR, up to 8, as well as the Sharp Turn MAR. Speed is a bit on the low side, at 8″ and with no MAR or generator modification. The Mizuchi has a nice selection of generator options, being able to select from a Shield (2), Sonic, or Disruption generators. The long-range firepower of the Mizuchi is so-so, but becomes truly ferocious starting at range band 2. The ability to link the turrets with the port and starboard means the EotBS battlecruiser can generate 18 AD at RB2 , and a staggering 22 AD at RB1. Add to the fact that all those AD have the Incendiary MAR, and that makes the Mizuchi quite dangerous. This ship strikes me as a brawler; its torpedoes will tend to make a EotBS player want to keep its bow pointed towards the enemy anyway. Once in close, the Mizuchi will be able to get the most out of its maneuverability as it unleashes heavy blows on its targets. Choosing a generator for this ship is a tough call. The Shield Generator will be helpful when it comes to turning away the worst of the incoming damage as the ship closes. However, both the Sonic and Disruption generators will be handy once the Mizuchi gets to RB1.

Covenant of Antarctica

(Note: The base cost of the Hippasus has dropped to 115 points) From the CoA comes something…rather different. I wouldn’t say completely different, as the basic Move, DR/CR, HP, etc are right in line with BC averages. However, this ship brings a completely different bag of tricks to the table. Lets start with the fact that its a Wave Lurking model, giving it that key -1 for attacks targeting the model.  Add to that, the model gets a Shield Generator, and the Hippasus becomes quite survivable. The firepower of the CoA battlecruiser is average at best, though the option to swap out the main turrets for the energy turrets does boost the ship’s RB3 and 4 firepower to above-average levels. This opens up the possibility of using the Hippasus as a long-range support ship, a role which matches well with the ship’s Teleport Generator. That generator, which the ship can carry in addition to its shields, allows it to fling small ships 24″ forward into the fray. Ans, as if that wasn’t enough, the Hippasus also serves as a drone control node! All together, the Hippasus is an interesting ship with a unique mix of abilities that seem to make it well-suited to a support role, leading squadrons of small ships in an attack.

Republique of France

(Note: The base cost of the Cherbourg is now 115) The RoF battlecruiser is the Cherbourg-class. At first glance, this ship is nothing too remarkable; with DR/CR of 5/7, movement of 8″, and 6 HP, it is another ship that falls right in the middle of the pack as far as stats go. It is a pure Heat Lance platform, mounting three Lancettes. As a result, the Cherbourg has no RB4 shooting to speak of, though that changes rapidly as it closes range. The RoF battlecruiser is capable of dishing out 12 AD in RB3, and 19 AD in RB2 and 4. On top of that, under the 2.0 Heat weaponry rules, those AD are Redoubtable, Piercing, and Incendiary! In order to help it get within Heat Lance range, the Cherbourg comes equipped with the RoF’s Retardant Armor, as well as a Nullification generator. The Nullification generator can be replaced with either a Fury or Mine Controller generator, for an additional 5 Points and 10 Points, respectively. The Fury generator has interesting possibilities, as it develops a nice synergy with the Incendiary nature of the Heat Lancettes. The Mine Controller seems like a harder sell; it will really only have utility in a mine-centric fleet build.

Russian Coalition

Rounding out the battlecruiser classes of the 7 core nations is the Russian Azov-class. Like the RoF’s Cherbourg above, the Azov has the standard battlecruiser stat line of  DR/CR of 5/7, movement of 8″, and 6 HP. The ship does have the Sturginium Boost MAR at its disposal to improve its speed, however. It’s weapons fit is a bit unremarkable, since it has no RB4 shooting, weak RB3 shooting, and mediocre RB2 shooting. The amount of AD the Azov can generate at RB1 is first-class, however. Defensively, the Azov features Ablative Armor (2), as well as an Internal Target Jammer (3) for Rockets and Torpedoes.  That is some pretty powerful protection, giving the Azov a good shot at getting into range where its heavy short-range firepower can come to bear. The RC battlecruiser is a bit light on options; the only one available is to upgrade the crew from Conscript to Regular. This is not a bad option; the Azov has a lot of AP for a battlecruiser, at 8 (this is the best of all battlecruiser types). So, that means that the Azov will be a reasonable boarding threat as well at close range.

Conclusion

Overall, the DW battlecruisers offer an interesting mix of tactical options. Some ships, like the Lord Hood and the Azov, seem to have a narrow focus and somewhat limited flexibility. Other ships, like the Annapolis and the Konigsberg, have a varied enough weapons mix that they can excel in a couple of different roles, from close in support to distance attacks. The Hippasus takes that to the max, giving a COA player all kinds of interesting ways to influence the battle. Are the battlecruisers worth their points, though? Keep in mind, each one is about the cost of two cruisers, and all of them have a squadron size of 1. That means they will be limited to their own firepower in a fight and not have any squadron mates to link with. However, with the possible exception of the Lord Hood, I think the answer to whether or not the battlecruisers are worth it is a definite yes. They are a hard-hitting, reasonably survivable (somewhat ironically given the type’s history in the Real World) class of unit that will eat other medium models for lunch!