Dropzone / Dropfleet Commander

The word bigger can be used metaphorically

>Corruptor Torpedoes are unpleasant. Imagine a missile the size of the NY State building that is also filled with razorworms.
Sounds like Tyranid ordnance.

How does this game stack up against BFG, if anyone is familiar with that?
What's the fluff like?
How many alien and human factions?

Haven't played BFG, but the lead designer for it is also heavily involved in DFC, so my guess is that it could compare favorably.

Fluff is pretty typical military sci-fi, but there's nothing wrong with that. Aliens have invaded Human space, and now the UCM is coming back to reclaim their worlds.

Two human, two alien factions.

With another almost-certainly alien faction being released soonish

Give me a rundown? Do different factions actually play differently?

instant death to it's target and anything in the beam's path

Very

>How does this game stack up against BFG, if anyone is familiar with that?

Designed by the same guy. He's literally using this as a chance to fix everything he did wrong in BFG.

The game is more about objectives than fisticuffs in space, though.

>What's the fluff like?

Interesting but sparse. It's unfolding as a story as more expansion books come out. It's essentially all about humans trying to take back Earth from a race of bodysnatchers.

>How many alien and human factions?

Two human, two alien.

There's the UCM, who are 'standard' humans. They're a super-militaristic society that built itself up on the harsh frontier worlds that nobody wanted to live on after aliens took all their good planets. They're intent on retaking what they've lost.

There's the PHR, who are people that were warned of the alien invasion by an advanced AI and left human space beforehand. Now they've become super advanced cyborgs. They're trying to manipulate stuff from the sidelines.

The Scourge are the main 'bad guys'. Neuroparasites who invaded human space a little over a hundred years ago. They wear out their hosts after a little over a hundred years and are constantly seeking new species to consume.

Then there's the Shaltari, hyper-advanced ayy lmaos that have achieved immortality through consciousness-manipulating tech. They showed humanity the way to the Cradle Worlds and are super bloodthirsty warriors split into multiple disparate 'tribes'.

They seem to play VERY differently.

UCM have generally tough ships with variable arcs of fire. Their weapons aren't the strongest or the most numerous, but they're the best at bringing all of them to bear at one time.

Scourge have fast ships with middling armour and hull points, but exceptionally potent weapons, especially at close range. Almost all their weapons work a little differently from the 'standard' guns of other factions, like their torpedoes to less damage outright but continue to inflict hurt after the impact. They have a lot of stealth tech.

PHR have the most durable ships, as well as good scan ranges (this, plus the signature of the ship you're targeting, determines whether you're in range) and the most overall guns. They're slower that the other fleets, however, and their weapons are on opposite arcs, meaning you have to position well if you want to unload with everything. Their transport ships use heavy cruiser chassis' rather than normal cruiser ones like other factions. Also, their guns are specialized to hit certain targets (i.e. light caliber batteries get bonuses against frigates, heavy caliber batteries get those bonuses against battlecruisers and upwards).

Shaltari are probably the weirdest. They have the largest scan range, the weakest armour, and the most potent firepower at long range. Their stuff tends to fire in the front narrow arc, though, so they essentially joust with particle cannons. They have terrible armour low signatures, so getting them in range is hard, and they can switch on their shields to reverse this somewhat, granting them a slightly better save at the cost of giving them a massive signature. They don't have troop carries like the other factions, instead they have a mothership with attached warp gates.

>Designed by the same guy. He's literally using this as a chance to fix everything he did wrong in BFG.
Yusssss.
>The game is more about objectives than fisticuffs in space, though.
TAKE ME NOW.

I'm liking the sound of it. Only thing would be trying to figure out what I wanted to play, UCM, PHR, and Scourge all sound pretty fun. What does 'getting into it' entail? What are we talking in terms of dollarydoos and mini/rules investments?