Starship Skirmish

Interesting, can you buy the armor upgrade more than once?

Well, it says "Each Armor Upgrade" so I assumed that was a possibility.

The engineer swore it couldn't be done. Something about inertial mass and acceleration and somesuch? Pfha, says I. Phfah.

Rook with 3 armor upgrades will have 9+5+5+5=24 HP

Of course. Though maybe I shouldn't have removed the acceleration penalty...

Welp then time to buy the Dream Chaser MK.2, this time with less missiles

I totally shouldn't have removed the acceleration penalty. What was I thinking, I don't even.
Ok, let's say armor upgrades are limited to 4, effective now.

Did we singlehandedly cause a metal shortage again? Ups.

Well! If stacking on Armor Upgrades is unintended use of the rules, let it not be said that Captain Gently is a lesser man who would abuse the laws for their own gain.
--
Get 230 Credits.

>Acquire Sparrow (118)
>Acquire 2x Medium Turbo Lasers, modified with all facings
size 4 + size 4 (92 credits)
>Acquire 1x Armor Upgrade (12)
>Acquire 1x Point Defense (5)
>Bank 3
--

[Sparrow Class] Polite Endeavour
AP 4 HP 11 + 9 / 6 / 3 / 1
Cap 9/9

1x Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 )
1x Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 )
1 BcPD ( 6 tohit)

Yeah that makes more sense, any idea what are we going to find in that base?
You know what lets not stack armor (stacking shield should be ok tho, sadly you can't fit many in a ship considering how big they are, maybe make them size 0.25)

Swallow Class - 113 - Dream Chaser II
Armor upgrade - 8
Medium Turbolaser FPSA facing - 46
Bascinet PD chaingun - 5

Bank - 58 + Purple Beards booze

Stacking arnor is intended, but not to the extent Pat did here Nobody has attacked this base before, so it's capabilities are unknown. But if it was me, I'd set up a big-ass laser using the asteroid as a heat sink. Or maybe a mass driver flinging bits of the asteroid for cheap ammo.

Tell me where to deploy you and we can begin, I think.

I have a question from the last thread, what happens when you ram a ship?

You might want to add a little line of deployment indicators to the map.

Upper Left for me.

You generally can't. Space is really big, the map is a schematic representation.

Welp there goes my plan to buy two cheap ships and ram one against the base, also rotating is only once per turn right?

Dream Chaser
AP 4 HP 8 Thr. 6/3/1 Thrust 1/1AP
.Engine
.Medium Turbolaser-hit 7/6/5 dmg 4/2/1 FPSA facing, Direct fire, Charge t strafe
.Bascinet PD chaingun-hit 6 dmg 1 PD, strafe, 360 facing

Deployment complete! Declare your actions.

Well, if you want to ram an asteroid you probably can. But the base itself is much smaller.
And yes, only one rotation per turn.

so far, so clear - everything looks like dust and the vast void of space.

Can we run a telemetric scan on the dust particles? No? We don't have that kind of... not actually a thing? Fine, Ensign Sensors. Fine.

Okay, Harding - let's see how this shakes out.

>Rotate to move [2]
>4 Ap to Accelerate to Speed 2

[Sparrow Class] Polite Endeavour
Speed 2
AP 4 HP 11 + 9 / 6 / 3 / 1
Cap 9/9

1x Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 )
1x Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 )
1 BcPD ( 6 tohit)

Behind you, I'm going to see if I can clear this dust cloud to do some visual reconnaissance
>Burn once -1AP
>Turn [1]
>Burn once -1AP

[Swallow Class] Dream Chaser
AP 4 HP 8 Thr. 6/3/1 Thrust 1/1AP
.Engine
.Medium Turbolaser-hit 7/6/5 dmg 4/2/1 FPSA facing, Direct fire, Charge t strafe
.Bascinet PD chaingun-hit 6 dmg 1 PD, strafe, 360 facing

Here's the base! They're shooting!
They really are shooting chunks of rock, huh.

>The pirates expected Pat to accelerate in a direct line, so all their shots pass not even close to him.

Gently, since you had speed 1 at deployment, your new speed is 3. Be careful around the dust.

Got you, C&C! I'll be careful. Let's fly in, gentle-like.

Okay Harding, let's see how this all shakes out. I'll try to fly by and hopefully they won't have too many guns. I have a plan. And it's a dreadful plan. I'll swoop on ahead, then fire through the opening in the cloud cover. That might do a bit, then draw fire off of you.

>Accelerate to Speed 4, maintain course.
>I'm in range after the movement:
>Prepare to
>Aim at [Base], Aim at [Base] with both weapons?

[Sparrow Class] Polite Endeavour
Speed 3
AP 4 HP 11 + 9 / 6 / 3 / 1
Cap 9/9

1x A-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 )
1x B-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 )
1 BcPD ( 6 tohit)

Aiming only works for the next attack in the same turn.
You could charge your turbolasers though, charge is kept between the turns.

Evasive Maneuvers! Gently, I need cover
>Burn x3 -3AP
>Face [3]
>Burn 1 -1AP

[Swallow Class] Dream Chaser [Facing: 3]
AP-4 | HP-8 | Thr. 6/3/1 | Thrust 1/1AP
.Engine
.Medium Turbolaser-hit 7/6/5 dmg 4/2/1 FPSA facing, Direct fire, Charge t strafe
.Bascinet PD chaingun-hit 6 dmg 1 PD, strafe, 360 facing

Ah! I was expecting i was aiming [at] a target, preparing to fire - not just aiming with my guns in general.

All right, I will assume CHARGING instead.

Well yes you aim [at] a target, but you have to shoot in the same turn to get the benefit.

At this rate you will be in range to fire your guns next turn, also the sparrow isn't the fastest ship, don't go too fast or you will overshot

Well yes. That was the plan. Since there's likely only the one firing platform on the base itself, they'll have to split response fire between us.

I'm less worried about overshooting and more worried about flying straight into a mini-rock.

It's the difference between the mechanic being [use action now to be better later] and the mechanic being [if in position, reap benefit immediately].

I was just automatically assuming it was the first. I was agreeing with you! All is well.

>Pat deceives the pirate gunners again

Hey boss, shouldn't I be 1 hex more to the [1]? I can work with both poritions

You're right, I messed up there. If you can work with the current position, that's good.

Right. Not much here now than the waiting. Either I get turned to so much shrapnel, or we get a clean line of fire.

You holding on there, Harding?

>I actually no commands this turn, just waiting to get into range.

[Sparrow Class] Polite Endeavour
Speed 4
AP 4 HP 11 + 9 / 6 / 3 / 1
Cap 9/9

1x A-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 ) *c
1x B-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 ) *c
1 BcPD ( 6 tohit)

How do you calculate movement, and by that I mean how do you know when you past through a dust cloud

>Aim at the base -1AP
>Fire Turbolaser (first roll) (-3+1) -1AP
>Face [5]
>Burn -1AP
>Overdrive
>Burn -1AP
[Swallow Class] Dream Chaser [Facing: 5]
AP-4 | HP-8 | Thr. 6/3/1 | Thrust 1/1AP
.Engine
.Medium Turbolaser-hit 7/6/5 dmg 4/2/1 FPSA facing, Direct fire, Charge to strafe
.Bascinet PD chaingun-hit 6 dmg 1 PD, strafe, 360 facing

Rolled 9, 9 = 18 (2d10)

forgot to roll

You see the yellow arrow between your last turn and current position? You are assumed to move along this arrow.

say I want to do this, do I follow the blue or the red path?

You follow the yellow path. So in this case you'll skim the edge of the cloud.
Now I see I forgot to mention that entering dust isn't a death sentence. When crossing a dust hex, you suffer an atatck with 5- to-hit and damage equal to your speed.

>Coasting by inertia wasn't a good decision. Gently is hit for 8 damage, one of his turbolasers is torn away and thrown into the depths of space.

>I forgot to mention that Pat's engine is on fire as a result of overheating

can I use more than one action to try and repair it?, also can I use the engine just after repairing it or do I have to wait till next turn?

Rolled 5 (1d10)

Gragh! I have grossly miscalculated the proper way of doing this. Someone shut off that alarm-- gah. Well that was uselessly problematic. So note to self - dust clouds do not obfuscate sensors on cobbled together railguns.

Right-right, this should either skirt us past the dust cloud or tear this broken ship to bits.

>Aim
>Fire Charged Medium TurboLaser at base (vs 6)
>Charge B-TurboLaser again
>Rotate to 4

[Sparrow Class] Polite Endeavour
Speed 4
AP 4 HP 3 + *9 / *6 /* 3 / 1
Cap 9/9

>Busted: 1x A-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 ) *c
1x B-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 ) *c
1 BcPD ( 6 tohit)

You can use multiple repair actions. If repaired, the engine will be ready to function only at the next turn.

Rolled 7, 4, 9 = 20 (3d10)

Next time remind me to buy a second engine

>Charge Medium Turbolaser -1 AP
>repair engine x3 -3AP
>Face [3]

[Swallow Class] Dream Chaser [Facing: 5]
AP-4 | HP-8 | Thr. 6/3/1 | Thrust 1/1AP
>.Engine (on fire)
.Medium Turbolaser-hit 7/6/5 dmg 4/2/1 FPSA facing, Direct fire, Charge to strafe
.Bascinet PD chaingun-hit 6 dmg 1 PD, strafe, 360 facing

>The pirates decide to seize the moment and shoot at Pat, who can't maneuver. Normally that would be a foolhardy decision, at that range and through a dust cloud. But somehow one shot connects.
>The Dream Chaser, without power and losing oxygen, continues drifting away at 0 HP.
They needed to roll 1 to hit. And they did.

>Meanwhile Gently lands two successful hits on the target, but at this range his laser is too weak.

Does that means I'm dead?

Your ship's disabled. But at exactly 0 HP you don't have to create another character for the next mission.

>Next mission
Lets see if we can finish this one first
Can I hop in with a 2nd ship or do you want me to wait?

Feel free to hop in. This mission is half a test anyway.

Rolled 10, 10, 3 = 23 (3d10)

Wait, we're where? What? Dammit Engines, that's not what I wanted to hear! Okay, hit the large red button. The one that has the expression mark sticker on it.

>Aim at Base
>Fire at Base (vs 3?)
>Overdrive 44
>Overdrive 4, 5

[Sparrow Class] Polite Endeavour
AP 4 HP 3 + *9 / *6 /* 3 / 1
Cap 9/9

>Busted: 1x A-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 ) *c
1x B-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 ) *c
1 BcPD ( 6 tohit)

[Polite Endeavour's Engine room]: Uh, Chief? There's molten metal dripping down the wall, is this, uh, normal?
>Engine damaged

Rolled 6, 9, 9 = 24 (3d10)

Perfectly normal! Perfectly well - everything is reasonable. Really, I'm suprised the intercom still works. That junkyard engineer promised this would really--- well nevermind. Just fix it up. Try not to get your hands stuck in the rapidly disintegrating engine area.

Preferably before we get sandpapered by that dust cloud

>Aim at Base
>Fire at Base
>Repair Engines
>-Overdrive 55 if engines are fixed, if not
>-Please, please repair the engines.

[Sparrow Class] Polite Endeavour
Speed 4
AP 4 HP 3 + *9 / *6 /* 3 / 1
Cap 9/9

>Busted: 1x A-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 )
1x B-Medium TurboLaser (7 / 6 / 5 for 4 / 2 / 1 ) *c
1 BcPD ( 6 tohit)

I'll wait, lets see what happens

Unfortunately, repairing things is a lengthy process always taking till the next turn...
>-5HP

This is Gently

Signing out.

-2 hp.

You can return in another ship if you wish.

Oh, it kept a math-piece in there from another thread. No, no, I'm at -5 as the thing says.
So much space scrap and debris.

Which is fitting! I was about to head off anyway.

Thanks for running C&C

I guess now is just me in a drifting ship versus a pirate fortress

Thanks for playing!

Well if you buy another ship (I'll even lend you another 230cr for it), you'll have much better chances.

Dream Chaser II, this is Collier USS Hacton, we just saw your distress signal, help is coming prepare for rendezvous.

"Boys get the guns, I have found our new ship"

[Swallow Class]U̶S̶S̶ ̶H̶a̶c̶t̶o̶n̶ Dream Chaser III
AP-4 | HP-8 | Thr. 6/3/1 | Thrust 1/1AP
Parashu missile x4 hit 4/6/7 dmg 4
Light Turbolaser x2 single mount hit 7/6 dmg 2/1

lets hope they don't have PDs

And lets deploy as close as we can to our former ship

Welcome back Pat.

They probably have PD. Want to combine the missiles into a mount while it's not too late?

Rolled 2, 5, 7, 8 = 22 (4d10)

Can I? then sure
>Burn -1 AP
>Face 2
>Burn -1 AP
>Fire all the missiles -1AP
>charge one of the lasers -1AP

[Swallow Class] Dream Chaser III
AP-4 | HP-8 | Thr. 6/3/1 | Thrust 1/1AP
Parashu missile x0 hit 4/6/7 dmg 4
Light Turbolaser x2 single mount hit 7/6 dmg 2/1

>The base's PD chainguns fire futilely. Not a single missile is hit.
>In a single salvo, the pirates' hideout is turned into a crater, blowing a cloud of crushed regolite into space.

[C&C]: Target destruction confirmed.
Pirates seem to have really bad luck with point defense guns. Maybe they don't maintain them properly?

This was not the result I expected, honestly. The probability theory seems to have no hold over Veeky Forums dice.

Rolled 3, 2, 2, 2 = 9 (4d10)

Looks like our missiles saved the day once more, good thing because our only other option would have been plan R, R stands for ramming.
C&C you should send a ship to pick the former crew of the Hacton, they should be in the Dream Chaser II cargo hold, tell them that I'll return their ship once I get my payment

I'm glad I don't have to explain why my counter-pirate employees turned to piracy themselves!
Your payment awaits as soon as you get in communication range with a bank branch.

>Thanks for playing!
>Any feedback?

Not bad, not being able to turn more than once hurts you a bit some times, and the ship design could use some tweaking, other than that I'd like to see some moving enemy ships.

I wanted to say that the last mission had a ship then remembered it didn't move once

What's your thoughts on ship design?

depends on the feeling you want to accomplish, do you want deadly combat with one hit kills or do you want tanky ships?
Shields need reworking specially when you can spam armor (which doesn't take any capacity and is cheaper, being able to recharge your shield is good, but at 1 AP per charge I think is a bit expensive compared with armor)
Missile magazines are too expensive, ship capacity should be enough to limit missile spam, also using magazines+1 launcher means that you won't be able to spam anyway
The laser cannon is a worse version of the medium turbolaser considering that you can take dual M.turbolasers and do better (they cost more but the real limiting factor on a ship design that I see is capacity not cost)
Railguns are always fun to dodge and fire

If you want I could go deeper, and sorry if I miss interpreted something

By all means go deeper. Your impressions double the feedback I get, which is invaluable if I want to balance this thing.

do you want to talk this in the IRC? should be faster

Lurker here. This system looks very interesting, and I'd love to help test it out some (I'm a sucker for space combat with momentum). How often are you going to be posting, and what kind of time?

All right

I'll run next Saturday at around 2 PM GMT.

If you have any comment we are all ears

It was said earlier that ships can't ram (space is big, each hex is far larger than the ships inside it etc), so I presume they just pass through each other.
What happens if two ships occupy the same hex at end of turn?
How does this effect stationary large objects (eg, that asteroid base)?
Are there any rules for point-blank attacks? Boarding?

Ships can freely occupy the same hex and shoot at each other (as evidenced by the existence of the [0-1] range band). There's no special rules for point-blank attacks.

I didn't think about the case with the asteroid I must admit, but I think it should be handled the same as a ship. Now if we were talking about a dwarf planet like Ceres, that would be another matter.

Rules for boarding have to come after the rules for shuttles, which have to come after I balance the rules for big ships sufficiently .

Do you have a setting/background at all? If you haven't really thought it over, just ignore these next questions.

Is there FTL, and if so what are the limitations?
Single solar system, or galaxy-wide civilisation?
Are there any alien species? If so, how multi-cultural is civilisation, how uncommon is it to meet a member of another species?
How unified is civilisation? Are most planets/asteroids/enclaves independent, or a member of a larger organisation?

And most importantly: are there intelligent machines (eg Geth, Borg, Transformers, Droids) and can I play one?

I do indeed have a setting, or something like one.

FTL was discovered thousands of years ago, and several human civilisation have bloomed and faded since.
Jumping is possible everywhere, but you shouldn't really do it outside of areas of space called jump gates if you want to arrive in one piece.

No non-human sentient life was discovered. All known sophonts are humans, their descendants or creations.

Currently humanity is really divided in its corner of the galaxy. Governments usually control up to 4-5 systems.

Intelligent machines do exist and, in fact, the very first thread of this skirmish dealt with them. Ang they are playable all right.

any link to that first thread?

Sorry. It was a test thread so I didn't think to archive it.

Awesome.

I must admit, I find the ship creation system quite interesting, with lots of possibilities for differentiation between ships. BUT, it's also complicated and confusing upon first sight. I had to look at other players builds before I had the slightest idea how things worked.

Would it be possible to post a "default" build for each of the ship classes to illustrate the way things work?
Ditto, for default weapon-combos, to illustrate a few common combos?
What does "BDMD-H" even mean? I can at least envisage how what the other guns look like, but other than maybe being a gauss-gun (charge, projectile) I have no idea what that's meant to be for.

I intended to do some example builds but run out of time.
What do you mean by weapon combos?

BDMD literally means Big Dumb Mass Driver.

By weapon-combos, I mean a single Weapon Mount.

>Big Dumb Mass Driver
...so what's the H?

A weapon mount is just several identical weapons that can be fired as one, there's nothing combo-like there.

The H stand for REDACTED

Best combo is missile spam combo, other than that maybe 4 light lasers in a single mount for fast cqc ships, a medium laser with aim and charge is effective if you want to stay at medium range, and BDMD and railguns are pretty much sniper rifles

OP dunno if you will read this but you should make missiles "blast" do only a single extra point of damage per every point the attack roll beats the target number or remove blast and make damage a larger number