Making the Retribution function as the model appears

[Lord Duggie The Mad]

I'm still fairly new BFG and I've bought a retribution for the Imperial Navy.  After looking at the model and consulting the Smotherman formula I suggested to my regular opponent that to make it function as the model appears one might revise it as follows:

45cm weapons batteries either side with 18 firepower
45cm strength 5 dorsal lance battery
Strength 6 torpedo salvo from the prow launch tubes.

New cost = 350 points.

She agreed that sounded fair but we are both quite inexperienced players.  Any thoughts from the veterans on whether this looking a bit cheesy?

[Mazila]

As long as your opponents agree you can use absolutely anything =)

The firepower is too high for imperial BB. Just look at most BB that are available and you will see that your ship has more firepower than anything.

 This is wrong but as I said before as long as you guys agree - its ok =)

[Vaaish]

That is way overboard for the stats on the ret. You are giving it almost as much firepower as the planet killer for 150 points less.

[Lord Duggie The Mad]

Fair point Vaaish.  I just wonder though if the retribution is undergunned.  I mean, the Emperor class can thump out 16 firepower if you combine all the batteries to a side and then you also have the ordnance.  Of course the retribution has lances that offset some of the difference but I can't quite shake the feeling the retribution is a bit expensive for what you get. 

Have to admit though this is all academic - haven't painted it yet and so haven't used it in a game to see how it really performs...

[Vaaish]

the ret is a slight be undergunned but not by as much as you tacked on.

[Lord Duggie The Mad]

Yeah, I will concede that.  Looking through some of the PDF's 18 and 5 does sound over the top.  Maybe I should have stuck with the Emperor.....

[Gron]

Not everything that is pointy needs to be a gun. Remember that even thou FP16 seems alot it still only gives some 2-3 dice when trying to hit a moving target at long ranges. The Retribuion has a formidable lance array even at extreme ranges and lances are not reduced in strength at extreme ranges like firepower.

[lastspartacus]

I think the Retribution simply needs an upturn its in broadside range to 16 or 14.  Probably 14.

[Admiral_d_Artagnan]

Either up the broadside FP to 14 or change it to FP18@45 cm while keeping the other weapons. Personally, I prefer the latter.

[commander]

FP 15 at R60 or FP 18 at R45. Keep other weapons as they are.
Old discussion, new participants.

[horizon]

Dorsal lances stay at 3. Upping broadsides as admiral d'artagnan says.
Prow torps remain at 9.

[Zelnik]

Am I the only one who thinks the model works just fine?

Just because it has six lance turrets on each side does not mean they fire simultaneously. Think staggered fire people!

[horizon]

lol, hey Zelnik, we're talking about the Retribution not the Desolator (which indeed is perfect).

Thing about the Retribution is that its firepower is not impressive. A Dominator, Lunar, Gothic doing the same albeit at shorter range.

Once in an AdMech fleet with AWR upgrade the Retribution becomes great. So you see where the problem is:
long range gunnery is too weak.

[Zelnik]

But the ship is perfect WYSWYG.  12 barrels, st 12 battery. 3 dorsal weapons, 3 dorsal lances. torpedo bays, st 9 torp. 

What more do you want!?

[Sigoroth]

But the ship is perfect WYSWYG.  12 barrels, st 12 battery. 3 dorsal weapons, 3 dorsal lances. torpedo bays, st 9 torp. 

What more do you want!?

Except that on a Lunar or Dominator 4 barrels = 6WB. The ship is far from perfect. It's weak and, as far as I'm concerned, useless.