Nemesis

Fan-made image by VileRancour.

Underestimating the Orz Nemesis would likely be the last mistake anyone can ever make. Like its name suggests, this ship is a goddess of revenge, coming to inflict pain and vengeance on the galaxy. Never, under any circumstances, chase after the Nemesis!

Propulsion

The Nemesis is fairly quick, has a fair turn-rate and good acceleration. Its relatively large footprint makes dodging incoming fire difficult, although not impossible.

Armament

Primary

The Nemesis is armed with a moderately powerful howitzer cannon which is remarkable in that it can be rotated to different firing positions during combat by holding the secondary weapon button while using the turning controls. The rotational turret allows usage as a strafing weapon or as a backwards utilized attacker-repellent. The energy costs of this weapon are rather large, however, and it can only fire volleys of two or three shots at a time. Each hit from the howitzer kills three crew members.

Secondary

Orz crew, encased in robotic, armored exo-skeleton, can exit the ship from the aft portholes — launched by holding the secondary button while pressing the fire button — and enter an enemy ship by burning a hole in its hull. These Orz Marines then start roaming the enemy ship’s corridors, killing any enemy crewmember they encounter. However, there is also a small risk that an Orz Marine itself will fall victim to the enemy crew and be killed. Especially useful in large groups, the Marines can blast a ship entirely by themselves. Any Marine aboard an enemy ship when it explodes will jet back out into space and set a return course for the Nemesis. The Marines are also very adept at using a Leyland Gravity Whip to speed them towards their target, a tactic for which they have been specially trained.

When the Marine boards an enemy ship, it instantly kills one crew member. Afterward, for every marine aboard an enemy ship, every half second, a random decision is made. Half of the time, an enemy crew member will be killed and the Marine survives, 7 out of 16 times, the Marine survives without inflicting any damage, and 1 out of 16 times the marine dies without doing any further damage. On average, a Marine can kill nine crew members before dying.

Tactical Overview

A very effective ship that rarely fails, although prolonged combat against multiple opponents can take a heavy toll.

Strong Against

Chmmr Avatar: Showing it your aft and blasting it with the howitzer is a sound strategy, as the Nemesis can break through the tractor beam and as soon as the ZapSats are down, the Avatar is marine-meat.

Ur-Quan Dreadnought: This ship's only hope is that its own fighters destroy the Nemesis before the Nemesis` marines kill the crew, and with the speed of the Nemesis, the fighters have trouble catching up.

Kohr-Ah Marauder: May try to use its primary attack to block the approaching marines or secondary, if they are approaching from behind, but once the batteries are depleted, it is easy prey.

Chenjesu Broodhome: Can continuously fire short spreads to try to kill the marines on approach, but its slow turning rate and speed render it helpless against the Nemesis` turret.

VUX Intruder: This slugging ship is easy prey for the marines and turret, but watch out for limpets.

Mycon Podship: The extreme sluggishness of this ship means it is incapable of offering any resistance to the marines getting inside, and like the Broodhome, cannot keep up with the turret.

Tenuous Against

Ilwrath Avenger: The cloak allows it to hide from the space marines, making it immune to space marine attacks while cloaked. However, due to the Avenger's slow speed, turning, and short firing range, the Orz Nemesis can fire at various places through trial-and-error using its rotating cannon to fire from behind, damaging the Avenger bit-by-bit.

Utwig Jugger: The marines bounce off the shields but no energy is fed to their batteries by the impact, so they can be used to take down the Jugger's shields. However, if the Jugger can shoot down the Marines with its dense-firing quad-gun and get close to the Nemesis its usual frontal-assault tactics may win the day.

Shofixti Scout: A very hot Scout pilot can evade the marines long enough to use a wrap-around slingshot maneuver to catch the Nemesis unaware, but if not the Orz is likely to be the victor.

Weak Against

Androsynth Guardian: The Blazer form destroys marines on impact, and the bubbles provide an excellent defensive screen. Also, the Nemesis’s aft section appears to have been designed exactly to be wedged by a blazer.

The Pkunk Fury, Slylandro Probe and Arilou Skiff can effortlessly pull out of marine’s grasp and use hit-n-run attacks to whack the unready Nemesis. So long as they manage to evade the marines, the X-form and the Spathi Eluder can pose a pain in the butt to any Nemesis captain. The Thraddash Torch, with its Afterburner, makes short work of the Nemesis as well, being able to outrun the Marines with ease, while simultaneously roasting any that get in the way.

3DO Orz Nemesis Basic stats Crew: 16 Value: 23 pts Battery: 20 Batt. Regeneration: 0.142 units/frame Armament Primary: Howitzer Secondary: Space Marine Refire delay: 5 frames Refire delay: 12 frames Energy use: 6 units Energy use: 0 units Propulsion Max speed: 35 world units/frame Turn rate: 0.5 facings/frame Acceleration: 5 units/frame Mass: 4