Escorts-Do's and dont's of squadron composition

[Sigoroth]

You get 100% value for each ship destroyed. This include escorts.
You get 25% value for disengaged escort squadron or crippled capital ship
You get 10% value for disengaged capital ship not crippled

P66 BBB

Escorts do not give 100% VPs upon destruction. They give up VPs based only on their squadron status. When fully destroyed they give up 100% squadron value as VPs. When at least half the escorts are destroyed, they give 25% VPs of the entire squadron. When disengaging they give up 10% of the value of the squadron. Note that you only apply the highest applicable modifier.

This is why odd number escort squadrons are preferred. To get 25% VPs of a 3 strong escort squadron you have to destroy 67% of the squadron. This is the worst kill to VP ratio in the game. In a 5 strong squadron you'd need to kill 60% to see any return, which is also not bad.

As to which to go for, strength 3 or strength 5, well, from experience I can say that strength 3 is generally best. There are 4 reasons for this. Firstly, it's actually fairly hard to destroy 3 escorts in one turn with direct fire. It's harder than crippling a healthy braced cruiser. So usually you'll have 1 escort left over which can disengage next turn and deny VPs to your opponent.

Secondly, it's no big sacrifice to brace 3 escorts. Bracing larger escort squadrons means a great deal of firepower lost. Since you're less likely to brace larger squadrons you're more likely to lose escorts to incidental fire.

Third, smaller escort squadrons suffer less from overkill. On those rare occasions where the opponent brings overwhelming fire to bear on an escort squadron the most you can lose from a 3 strong escort squadron is ... you guessed it, 3 escorts. With a 4 or 5 strong squadron you'll likely lose the lot. A full strength escort squadron may survive, but it isn't something you should bet on, given that there's likely to be upwards of 200 VPs in that squadron. Usually in that case the opponent will bend heaven and earth to finish off the last escort with everything remaining.

And finally, a strength 3 escort squadron packs just enough punch to leave the opponent undecided as to what his reaction should be. Should I worry enough about them to alter my lines? Should I really brace against them or wait for him to commit more firepower? Should I send out all my AC to deal with them or hold them back for CAP duty? They're a threat, but not a high threat. This is where escorts should sit.

Also, as an addendum, I tend to prefer capital ships over escorts myself. They're altogether more reliable and resilient over the long run (less attenuation due to attrition). If I can afford a 5-6 strong escort squadron then I can afford to just take another capital ship instead. Hence I tend to prefer 3 strong escort squadrons from a simple economics point of view, in addition to the reasons stipulated.

[fracas]

Since it is not in the rules we don't award any VPs for parts of escort squadron destroyed, 50% or otherwise.

[AndrewChristlieb]

You get 100% value for each ship destroyed. This include escorts.
You get 25% value for disengaged escort squadron or crippled capital ship
You get 10% value for disengaged capital ship not crippled

P66 BBB

Escorts do not give 100% VPs upon destruction. They give up VPs based only on their squadron status. When fully destroyed they give up 100% squadron value as VPs. When at least half the escorts are destroyed, they give 25% VPs of the entire squadron. When disengaging they give up 10% of the value of the squadron. Note that you only apply the highest applicable modifier.

This is why odd number escort squadrons are preferred. To get 25% VPs of a 3 strong escort squadron you have to destroy 67% of the squadron. This is the worst kill to VP ratio in the game. In a 5 strong squadron you'd need to kill 60% to see any return, which is also not bad.

As to which to go for, strength 3 or strength 5, well, from experience I can say that strength 3 is generally best. There are 4 reasons for this. Firstly, it's actually fairly hard to destroy 3 escorts in one turn with direct fire. It's harder than crippling a healthy braced cruiser. So usually you'll have 1 escort left over which can disengage next turn and deny VPs to your opponent.

Secondly, it's no big sacrifice to brace 3 escorts. Bracing larger escort squadrons means a great deal of firepower lost. Since you're less likely to brace larger squadrons you're more likely to lose escorts to incidental fire.

Third, smaller escort squadrons suffer less from overkill. On those rare occasions where the opponent brings overwhelming fire to bear on an escort squadron the most you can lose from a 3 strong escort squadron is ... you guessed it, 3 escorts. With a 4 or 5 strong squadron you'll likely lose the lot. A full strength escort squadron may survive, but it isn't something you should bet on, given that there's likely to be upwards of 200 VPs in that squadron. Usually in that case the opponent will bend heaven and earth to finish off the last escort with everything remaining.

And finally, a strength 3 escort squadron packs just enough punch to leave the opponent undecided as to what his reaction should be. Should I worry enough about them to alter my lines? Should I really brace against them or wait for him to commit more firepower? Should I send out all my AC to deal with them or hold them back for CAP duty? They're a threat, but not a high threat. This is where escorts should sit.

Also, as an addendum, I tend to prefer capital ships over escorts myself. They're altogether more reliable and resilient over the long run (less attenuation due to attrition). If I can afford a 5-6 strong escort squadron then I can afford to just take another capital ship instead. Hence I tend to prefer 3 strong escort squadrons from a simple economics point of view, in addition to the reasons stipulated.

Ah i see your meaning with the odd number escorts on paper now. I agree with your take on the uses and reasons behind taking 3 strong squadrons, very well said. The reason i try and go for larger squadrons of battery or lance escorts is due mainly to how i try and use them, hanging back and engaging crippled capitols or supporting the cruisers. The hope here is that the escorts will not draw significant fire due to the capitols and will have more than enough firepower to knock off a crippled ship (at least able to easily drop five hits). The large number also makes it more difficult for a ship to disengage. If i am using the escorts to support or in a small game iam more likely to go for 3-4 tho, for instance 3 swords and a gothic.

Since it is not in the rules we don't award any VPs for parts of escort squadron destroyed, 50% or otherwise.

Intersting, shame its been faq'ed because this would make them a bit more desirable. Of course i would have to be supremely confident in the fact that that ship would not be destroyed to make me not want to disengage it anyway.

[Sigoroth]

Since it is not in the rules we don't award any VPs for parts of escort squadron destroyed, 50% or otherwise.

You do not use the 2010 FAQ?

Edit: Wait, it is in the normal rules. The same page you quoted, page 66 of the BBB. "Each destroyed escort earns its value in victory points provided the entire escort squadron is destroyed".

Crippled + disengaged escort squadrons or cap ships = 25% VPs. Non-crippled + disengaged escort squadrons or cap ships = 10% VPs.

[Seahawk]

I enjoy squadrons of 6 Gladius frigates...but then I only really like SM escorts.

[Talos]

Are you not the same Seahawk who won adepticon recently? With a list featuring BC spam and no escorts? But I jest; gladius are not much different from swords, yes? Merely a bit faster and with SM rules if I recall. When do you run these large escort squadrons? How do they compare to SC at their role?

The general consensus seems to be 3 escort squadrons. How much of an IN fleet should be escorts? As in at 1500 points, how many points are commonly dedicated to them? My guess would be between 150-200, but what do you all think?

[AndrewChristlieb]

I like one to two squadrons for one off games (usually right around your estimate there, sometimes as much as 250). In a campaign list I like to take lotz of escorts usually around 500pts worth, mostly for smaller games.

[Talos]

Cool, what kind of escorts do you run? What are the favorite imperial escorts?

[horizon]

In my Imperial Fleet I run 6 Cobra destroyers (2*3) and a squadron with 2 Sword and 1 Firestorms (if the 2nd hand deal had 3 Swords it would've been 3 Swords).

I like the small torpedo markers. I think this is mainly caused due the fact I had my Tau fleet before my Imperial Navy.

In my 1500pts Tau fleet I run two Castellan squadrons of 3 and one Warden squadron of 3. Love both, Wardens are great when the lines close.

In my admech fleet I have 3 Gladii and 3 Hunters (heh).

In my main chaos renegade fleet 6 Infidels and 3 Iconoclasts (aka Emperor BB killers).

(see a pattern with torpedo escorts?)

Corsair is a lot of escorts, I have not used my Aurora or Solaris yet but otherwise I run one or two capital ships (Void Stalker and/or Void Dragon (Flame)) in my Corsair fleet. Rest escorts. Nightshades are the ones I prefer most but Hemlocks and Aconites are awesome as well.

Craftworld is the only fleet I sometimes field without escorts, this due background story (eg Shadowhunters are last line of defence of Craftworld and/or scout ahead. Never part of battlefleets).

My Rogue Trader list is always in the build, variety of things is what I aim at.
My Dark Eldar list (unpainted) is per fleet list: 9 escorts, 3 cruisers.
My inbuild Vanguard list for Nids is escort only, lolz
My Marine list is smaaaaalll (1 vbb, 1 strike cruiser, 2 escorts)... needs more.

[Talos]

What about Vipers? I know they are of limited availability due to lists but is the extra torpedo worth it? How about as reserve?

[AndrewChristlieb]

I run my escorts pretty similar to horizon except i try and fill my non torpedo squadrons as points allow. The main exceptions are Orks. I always try to run a full group of ravagers if i take them and with the ork klans pdf fleet ive been tinkering with i have been bumping them up to 9 (havent determined if it is worth it to take the full ten or wait to see if i can get the free one ).

Vipers are ok, you can run them in a group of 2 which is nice if you have a few points you cant figure out but i usually take cobras with the +1 to leadership when enemy is on special orders, i cant remember the last time i took weapons batteries, 2000 maybe .

[horizon]

Heh, yeah, widowmaker upgrade is what I use as well.

[fracas]

Since it is not in the rules we don't award any VPs for parts of escort squadron destroyed, 50% or otherwise.

You do not use the 2010 FAQ?

Edit: Wait, it is in the normal rules. The same page you quoted, page 66 of the BBB. "Each destroyed escort earns its value in victory points provided the entire escort squadron is destroyed".

Crippled + disengaged escort squadrons or cap ships = 25% VPs. Non-crippled + disengaged escort squadrons or cap ships = 10% VPs.

you are correct
we play VP for when the squadron is destroyed
but i cannot recall the last time anyone disengaged an escort squadron for that rule to apply

[Talos]

Is there a particular reason your group does not disengage escorts? They seem to be really feeble when below half in a 3 ship squadron . Do you guys just have insane accuracy, or is there some deep tactical reason a relative n00b such as myself does not know for keeping a crippled escort squadron in game?

[horizon]

Hey,

in a campaign I will disengage without thinking in such situations.

However in one off games I sometimes go on. I do point out to my opponent that it would be a disengage moment but for the fun of the game I continue with a single escort doing a heroic effort in the game.