Time to look at some Emperors Children Escorts (Der H: "no, not like that...")
Escorts get mixed reviews in the BFG community. Some people love them, some thing they're a waste of points vs cruisers and ordinance. I like them a lot, not necessarily in game terms where they can be quite weak and ineffective if not properly supported/deployed en masse , but in terms of imagery and to build a cohesive looking fleet.
You might be able to tell that I really quite like firestorms! I had an eBay binge several years ago and got hold of loads of firestorms, some sword class escorts, and some cobra class destroyers. The Swords and the Cobras ended up supporting Brother Handro's fleet, but the Firestorms, they're mine!
Firestorms have a prow lance and a front/left/right strength 2 weapon battery. On their own...quite weak, but when massed together in a squadron they really pack a punch. 9 together can put strength 18 weapon battery salvos and 9 lance shots into a target and that really helps on that pesky gunnery table. The issue, of course, is that fewer swords can put out a lot more WB hurt than these guys, and I am notorious for failing to do anything with lances....this is a problem later.....
My next group of escorts gives away my secret love - the Voss pattern prow! These little guys were snapped up with their bigger brother shortly before G'dubs stole away their BFG line for good. The Falchions are a nice little escort, 3 front/left/right weapons batteries a piece and a prow torpedo to boot. Another example of good en masse, but three torpedoes doesn't strike much fear, and the swords can often mop them up in similar numbers. More on these little fella's another time.
Brother Handro will show off his Cobra and Sword escorts in due course, but for now, watch this space for an overview of my favourite prow, the Voss pattern!
Der H
