Editing Star Fleet Battles (section)

=== '''Orion Pirate Cartel''' ===

The Orion Pirates are the Star Fleet Universe's premier criminal organization, heavily involved in piracy and smuggling throughout most known areas of the galaxy. Due to their historical origins they are collectively given the label "Orion," but members of almost any known starfaring race can be found in Orion crews. Orions themselves are basically humans with green skin and loose morals.

In the early years of the Federation members each fielded their own fleets and ship designs. When joint action among these disparate fleets proved unworkable, Earth began pushing for a unified Federation Starfleet and a common ship design. In exchange for supporting the proposal, the Orions received the right to keep using their own ships in a separate Planetary Guard fleet that would be responsible for patrolling their own space. In Y113, shortly after the Orions decommissioned their last deep space fleet, there was a mutiny in the Planetary Guard; 16 ships disappeared from anchorage along with over 9,000 veteran fleet personnel. These mutineers became the core of the Orion Pirates.

Being a loose association of criminals, the Orion Pirates do not have one centralized government. Raiding and smuggling operations are controlled by independent cartels. Each cartel has its own territory and fleet of ships, as well as its own shipyard and other hidden bases where their ships are built, outfitted, and maintained. A cartel is usually run by a crime lord or powerful family, who exclusively authorizes and controls all pirate activity within its territory. As of Y175 there were eleven major cartels that collectively covered the entire map except for Tholian space. The Tholians being more then capable of keeping out everyone including those few pirates brave enough to try a blockade run.

In game Orion ships are primary commerce raiders (CR's and LR's) first and warships second. While the Cartel Lords do have "Enforcer" (CA's and BC's) ships that are primarily warships first, to keep the other pirates in line, even these enforcer ships are smaller in size then your typical galactic warship which means anytime your going into a fight you'll be outclassed but not out gunned because... well the Orions have a trick or two up their sleeves to even the odds. 
 
Any Orion ship may choose to double the output of any or all of it's engines. This allows any Orion ship the ability to overwhelm their opponents by mimicking the power curve of much bigger ships. But there is a catch and it's a doozy. Each time the engine is overloaded it suffers damage and after enough times the engine becomes useless. It's called the "Cocaine Rule"


Math-Hammer time:

Say a Orion ship has 2 warp engines each outputting 10 power per engine under normal circumstances for 20 total warp power. If you double the output of both you'd end up with 40 power for the 1st turn. Next turn your engines take a damage point each so you now have 2 warp engines with 18 output. Doubling again (turn #2) you get 36 power and next turn (turn #3) you take another damage point so they engines now have 16 output with 32 power and so on. By the start of turn #5 even with doubling your engines your only sitting at about 24 total power. Next turn (turn #6) with doubling your back to your original 20 power.  


This is why it's called the Cocaine rule; one you start you can't stop and eventually it kills you. However without engine doubling the Orion ships can't compete with actual warships so your caught in a vise. The rule of thumb is to only overload one engine at a time and only if you need it for that turn. Also plan to exit the fight be the end of turn 5 while you still have the power to disengage before the opposing warship's superior durability allows it to overcome you.  Remember your a lover not a fighter.

The other trick up your sleeve as a pirate is weapon choice. Ever wish you could have Photon Torpedoes and Disrupters? Well now you can. Orion ships feature weapon mounts where you the player get to choose what weapons go where. Want drones and a ESG? You can do that! (I don't know why you'd want that but hey to each their own!) You want some Plasma-F's and Hellbores? Go right ahead. Technically in Lore pirate ships are limited to the weapons in their operating area but in practice you can take what ever weapons you like. They don't even have to be paired. Want 2 Photons upfront, a Disrupter on the left and a Phaser-G on the right? You can do that. Want a cloak? Be my guest!. BPV costs must still be paid but you have the choice to tailor your weapon suite to your tastes. The only limit is no Andromedian tech, sorry no Displacement Device or Power Absorbers for you.

Orion ships tend to be smaller per BPV point then other races and so they suffer from lower shield strength and lower internal volume in comparison. Which mean any internal damage start to add up real fast and each warp engine hit is extremely detrimental. The idea around the Cocaine rule is to allow you to win the fight fast by over whelming your opponent and keeping damage out by using that extra power to reinforce your shields and maintain superior speed and EW levels. 

One last advantage is the inherent +1 ECM stealth field Orion ships get anytime they're not doubling engines. It's not much but it's there so don't forget to use it.

Over all Orion ships are extremely powerful combatants but suffer from being under the clock. You can out fight just about any opponent but you have to do it quickly as each turn that passes your getting weaker. If your opponent isn't on the ropes by turn 5 definitely consider getting out of there.  Your not a warship you can't trade blows and expect to win. You have to hit hard and overwhelm your opponent and take no damage in return or your career will be over before it starts.