They can with the main gun - the key is you have to send a full load at it (it's fast enough that the zapsats can't block it all) - sometimes the zapsats do block it, sometimes one or two will hit the main ship....as I eluded to earlier it's more likely that you'll take out one of the zapsats....when you do that, it finishes out pretty quickly since as was said, you can lace the BUTTs in untouched if you time them right.

Only problem is it's a long enough battle to be boring as hell - more or less just actually did the fight because I wanted to see if I could do it.  My guess is this takes 5-10 minutes.  And it does take away about 12-15 of my crew because of the planet, getting hit by the zapsats, etc. from flying too close.  I'm 4-1 now (the loss because I had 9 crew left when I met the Chmmr that time - at least I did get the Chmmr down enough that I could fly my Shofixti in and blow up the Chmmr :-) )  Probably won't purposely try in the future, since it's so damned boring.

If you're wondering, I fly in close enough so it doesn't tractor, but fly in circles around it, fire while I keep moving in the circle.  Works for the Spathi, works for the Yehat (usually it's a very one sided battle for him), and works for the ZoqFotTurd (I'm 1-0 now actually trying with that ship - there's more shot so the Chmmr gets hurt quicker).

Figuring it out enough - more time and I might punk the Chmmr out with everything that's capable enough to do it ;-D

I never said you CONSISTENTLY fly in that circle...if Chmmr tries something you bug out and start again...90% of the battle is playing keep-away since his range is so small.  I never said it was a completely easy battle, just a possible one.