mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Yes please.
CT+ ship combat
- Thread starter mike wightman
- Start date
daltoncalford
SOC-12
Ok,
Before any rules, I should talk about the assumptions we decided upon that we built the ruleset.
1.) Universal Profiles are very handy, especially when dealing with multiple ships.
2.) Universal Profiles are hexidecimal, so values are strictly between 0 and F.
3.) If greater granularity is required, a second digit is used (the scaling digit) and although it may not always be listed, it is always assumed to exist. This means that the same rules can be used for any variation or size from microscopic to stellar (more on this later).
3.) Universal Profiles are weighted scale systems instead of a linear scale system.
4.) All things are relitive, the game is exactly that, a game, not a model for projecting future physics. The game must assist the referee in suspending the dis-belief of the players, but not cause the referee to become a slave to mechanics.
5.) The game must be multi-player and not leave anyone out, so each player has to feel important.
-------------------------------------------------
So, lets start with movement.
Forget vectors, forget hexes, forget anything that intimidates the newbie/non-wargamer players.
First idea is that ships either have matched vectors and although they may be speeding toward a planet at 40g, thier base relitive speed is basically 0.
Using pennies or models, place them the forces 20 units apart from each other. What is a unit? Does it matter? We use inches cause we use models. One of the groups uses hex paper since they were my old wargaming club and that is what they are used to. As long as all the units are the same, go wild and use anything you want.
If there are only two ships and no missiles in play, use lined paper, the effect is the same.
Now our gaming system uses steps of difficulty ranging from automatic to impossible as well as stages of success ranging from disastrous failure to extraordinary success. I am not going to repeat the base mechanics, as that subject is handled in another thread on this board.
For those who do not use our house system (given the name "Chil" by one of the guys on the traveller5 forums) you will need to figure out a way of handling different stages of effect.
Base concept is this, find the slowest speed of all the vessels involved. So if you have ships with speeds of 2,2,3,4,6 the slowest speed is 2.
They have a base agility of 0. The other ships have a base agility of 1,2,4 respectivly.
Different maneuver tasks can increase agility for certain actions. Agility acts as a difficulty modifier for certain maneuver tasks. Net result is, if you spend an action on a special maneuver, then follow it up with a different maneuver action, you may get them working together to improve your overall position.
We did this so that player tactics and quick thinking can have a major effect on game play. This gives situations where the players are discussing combinations of moves both before and after the game. I have only seen this from those collectable card people who are day dreaming of the perfect combination. It was a nice sight.
Anyway, the net result is that you can use maneuvers to change position by a few units, (opposite to what you want if you roll really badly)
Agility is used to dodge, steady aim, close with vessel, skim vessel surface and alot more tasks than I can remember at this time.
Now, excess power can be used to boost agility, overpower weapons, charge weapons, power screens etc. Power draw fluctuates and you can loose power to different areas due to either a lack of power or power blow overs.
I hope you are starting to get the idea. Sounds pretty normal right. Nothing special. Well, try this, each player decides what they are doing separately. They are not allowed to show what they are doing until the referee asks. Now, the captain uses his ship tactics and computer rating to figure out how many tasks can happen in a turn. Now that means that his crew may have 10 tasks lined up, but, only three tasks can happen this turn. The captain chooses which player may use thier task, but, he does not know exactly what task the player decided to do.
Since the captains command of 'all ahead full' could be satisfied by about 10 tasks, all with different ramifications, the helmsman has alot of power (and that makes it fun for that player). In fact, every position is important, and that makes it fun to play.
Onto the weapon systems. Every weapon is rated in comparison to it's own size. A weapon rated at 7 is assumed to have about a 50% chance of killing a equivalant sized vessel. Used against a smaller vessel, it becomes dramatically more deadly. Against a larger vessel, the chances of causing harm gets starts to decrease.
So a size 5 vessel, compared to a size 2 vessel, is alot more dangerous even if thier weapons are rated the same. Does this mean that a large vessel is immune to small ones? Notice I keep saying the probability is lower, but, I never say it is impossible. Small ships with high power weapons (strength A-F) are dangerous to larger ships. Certain tasks increase the chance of causing damage, or making the damage caused, more devastating.
So, from a gamers perspective, a ship is described by three lines of 9 digits. Each digit can be increased/decresed due to damage/damage control.
Weapons are described by one line of 9 digits.
One card can detail all the statistics for a single ship or group of similar ships.
I am not going to go into the details until some of you show an interest and give me some feedback.
If you like it, great, if not, poke some holes in it. Please do remember, it currently is getting alot of playtesting.
best regards
Dalton
Before any rules, I should talk about the assumptions we decided upon that we built the ruleset.
1.) Universal Profiles are very handy, especially when dealing with multiple ships.
2.) Universal Profiles are hexidecimal, so values are strictly between 0 and F.
3.) If greater granularity is required, a second digit is used (the scaling digit) and although it may not always be listed, it is always assumed to exist. This means that the same rules can be used for any variation or size from microscopic to stellar (more on this later).
3.) Universal Profiles are weighted scale systems instead of a linear scale system.
4.) All things are relitive, the game is exactly that, a game, not a model for projecting future physics. The game must assist the referee in suspending the dis-belief of the players, but not cause the referee to become a slave to mechanics.
5.) The game must be multi-player and not leave anyone out, so each player has to feel important.
-------------------------------------------------
So, lets start with movement.
Forget vectors, forget hexes, forget anything that intimidates the newbie/non-wargamer players.
First idea is that ships either have matched vectors and although they may be speeding toward a planet at 40g, thier base relitive speed is basically 0.
Using pennies or models, place them the forces 20 units apart from each other. What is a unit? Does it matter? We use inches cause we use models. One of the groups uses hex paper since they were my old wargaming club and that is what they are used to. As long as all the units are the same, go wild and use anything you want.
If there are only two ships and no missiles in play, use lined paper, the effect is the same.
Now our gaming system uses steps of difficulty ranging from automatic to impossible as well as stages of success ranging from disastrous failure to extraordinary success. I am not going to repeat the base mechanics, as that subject is handled in another thread on this board.
For those who do not use our house system (given the name "Chil" by one of the guys on the traveller5 forums) you will need to figure out a way of handling different stages of effect.
Base concept is this, find the slowest speed of all the vessels involved. So if you have ships with speeds of 2,2,3,4,6 the slowest speed is 2.
They have a base agility of 0. The other ships have a base agility of 1,2,4 respectivly.
Different maneuver tasks can increase agility for certain actions. Agility acts as a difficulty modifier for certain maneuver tasks. Net result is, if you spend an action on a special maneuver, then follow it up with a different maneuver action, you may get them working together to improve your overall position.
We did this so that player tactics and quick thinking can have a major effect on game play. This gives situations where the players are discussing combinations of moves both before and after the game. I have only seen this from those collectable card people who are day dreaming of the perfect combination. It was a nice sight.
Anyway, the net result is that you can use maneuvers to change position by a few units, (opposite to what you want if you roll really badly)
Agility is used to dodge, steady aim, close with vessel, skim vessel surface and alot more tasks than I can remember at this time.
Now, excess power can be used to boost agility, overpower weapons, charge weapons, power screens etc. Power draw fluctuates and you can loose power to different areas due to either a lack of power or power blow overs.
I hope you are starting to get the idea. Sounds pretty normal right. Nothing special. Well, try this, each player decides what they are doing separately. They are not allowed to show what they are doing until the referee asks. Now, the captain uses his ship tactics and computer rating to figure out how many tasks can happen in a turn. Now that means that his crew may have 10 tasks lined up, but, only three tasks can happen this turn. The captain chooses which player may use thier task, but, he does not know exactly what task the player decided to do.
Since the captains command of 'all ahead full' could be satisfied by about 10 tasks, all with different ramifications, the helmsman has alot of power (and that makes it fun for that player). In fact, every position is important, and that makes it fun to play.
Onto the weapon systems. Every weapon is rated in comparison to it's own size. A weapon rated at 7 is assumed to have about a 50% chance of killing a equivalant sized vessel. Used against a smaller vessel, it becomes dramatically more deadly. Against a larger vessel, the chances of causing harm gets starts to decrease.
So a size 5 vessel, compared to a size 2 vessel, is alot more dangerous even if thier weapons are rated the same. Does this mean that a large vessel is immune to small ones? Notice I keep saying the probability is lower, but, I never say it is impossible. Small ships with high power weapons (strength A-F) are dangerous to larger ships. Certain tasks increase the chance of causing damage, or making the damage caused, more devastating.
So, from a gamers perspective, a ship is described by three lines of 9 digits. Each digit can be increased/decresed due to damage/damage control.
Weapons are described by one line of 9 digits.
One card can detail all the statistics for a single ship or group of similar ships.
I am not going to go into the details until some of you show an interest and give me some feedback.
If you like it, great, if not, poke some holes in it. Please do remember, it currently is getting alot of playtesting.
best regards
Dalton
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Phew, there's a lot to take in there Dalton
Hope you don't mind if I reply in chunks.
First off, your assumptions.
While a couple of them tie into YTU way of doing things, I think that:
Next, the maneuvering system:
Now this bit:
I take it that more advanced computers or more complex computer programs could give the captain more tasks per turn?
Hope you don't mind if I reply in chunks.
First off, your assumptions.
While a couple of them tie into YTU way of doing things, I think that:
should be taken as universal goals for an rpg space combat system, especially point 5.
Next, the maneuvering system:
I couldn't agree more.
I can see the reasonoing behind this, but for more "advanced" players - would experienced be a better word? - each ship could have its relative "velocity" indicated at the start of the combat sequence. This works provided that the ships have a relative "velocity" that is within a few units of their maneuver drive rating.
This is similar to the way Starter Traveller and MegaTraveller do things. IMHO it is a simple system that lends itself well to role playing ship combat rather than wargaming it.
Now this bit:
is inspired IMHO
I take it that more advanced computers or more complex computer programs could give the captain more tasks per turn?
daltoncalford
SOC-12
Hi Sigg,
Sorry about the delay in replying. It is my birthday and the gang got together for a large game of Starship Troopers. 7000 points to a side with three concurrent games going on at a time. Good time was had by all.
In answer to your question, yes, the more advanced computers give bonus's to actions or reduce difficulty, or act as a crew quality modifier etc.
Vessels are rated by standard sections (jump, maneuver, crew quality etc.) and each section has a number between 0 and F. Each section also has a number for Redundancy and Reduction.
For example a maneuver drive with a rating of 2, a redundacy of 8 and a reduction of 2 is listed
282 or it is the third column on the USP listed
2
8
2
Now, when a ship takes a hit, that damages the maneuver drive, the ship takes the blow and attempts to shrug it off. The defending ship does this with a task roll. This task roll does take away from your task balance next turn so you can swamp a ship with hits that, although no serious damage is done, effectively stops the ship from performing any tasks the next turn.
The skill level used for the task is either the ships crew quality or the damage control officers skill level. The controlling attribute is the redundancy rating of the affected system (which in turn limits the maximum effective skill).
Depending upon the tasks level of success, the damage either reduces the redundancy of the affected system, its overall rating or both, using the reduction value as the step level of reduction. (the higher the reduction value, the more fragile the system)
Hope that explains some more of the system.
best regards
Dalton
