Originally posted by alte:
You can't assume that the only ships the IISS has are Scout/Couriers, X-boats and X-boat Tenders.
Alte,
I don't assume that. I also don't assume that they fly much that belongs anywhere near a TL15 space battle either. Horses for courses.
According to the Azhanti High Lightning game they also have five 60,000 ton Frontier Cruisers transferred over from the Imperial Navy, which even after conversion into 'exploratory and despatch vessels' would still make pretty effective commerce raiders.
Yeah, you'd think so. Reality is another thing however. All the five are of the 'pre-modernization' model which means the PAW spinal wasn't upgraded to a meson gun and no black globe was fitted. Three were in the Marches after being
'refitted for long range exploration'. Two were
'refurbished to cargo and data carriers' and are now used continuously on the
'shuttle run from Terra to the Imperial Core'.
ISC 6336
Luray Explorer - One of the explorers. You may remember the 'flesh rot' episode when one crewman suffered a bout of claustrophobia, opened his vacc suit's face plate, and managed to infect the entire ship?
ISC 6362
Sparkling Observer - She's apparently still out there
'spinward of the Imperium and rimward of the Zhodani'.
ISC 6385
Vermillion Stance - Seized by 'a ruse' by the Zhodami off Garoone before the 4th Frontier War. Not available.
ISC 6388
Infrequent Refuge and ISC
Imperial Reaumur are busy shuttling along that jump5 route between the Terra and the Imperial Core.
So, you've got a total
two AHL-class cruisers in IISS hands for commerce raiding and that depends on whether they're back from their latest mission out in the Astron and Iphigenia Sectors.
Maybe someone whose copy of Fifth Frontier War with readable counters (my FFE version is not much use) might be able to tell us how effective the Scoutrons there are compared to Naval units?
How effective are they? Well, they don't have an
attack rating so take a guess. They can jump without plotting their turns in advance though.
Also don't forget the Scouts have their own S3 Commando units.
Yup, nice for raids and intel snatches. You know,
scouting. No where near big enough to face even a Zho lift infantry company though and they're not designed to do so.
Does the IISS have armed ships? You betcha. Do they have armed men? Damn straight they do. Are they important in wartime? Vitally so. Do they mix it up with the big boys? Hell no. Horses for coourse.
YMMV.
Have fun,
Bill