Quick Start Play:
If you'd like to be able to jump right in to see if you like this game, you might want to try a few rounds of Simple Combat. The Simple Combat Game is a way for you to quickly resolve combat between vessels, or fleets of vessels. This is useful if you are playing a scenario or campaign that involves more than a few ships. Otherwise a simple scenario could take weeks to play through.
It is useful to keep a copy of the Simple Combat Template. This makes it possible to copy and paste the basics of your bit of 'paperwork', add however many ships you may need to, and change or insert ship names. Here is a very basic template (there are more in the files):
IKS rolls: o/d
USS rolls: o/d
Result:
IKS damage /15
USS damage /15
The first section is for points rolled (1d6 result times the appropriate multiplier), and how the points are allocated (offense/defense). The second "Result" section shows the calculated damage. In the case of basic AI ships, the damage potential is 15.. so you would indicate 5 points damage with 5/15. Pretty simple.
If you are playing a single player game, roll a 1d6 to see who 'wins the toss'. If you roll a 1-3, you do. Then you roll the 1d6 for your opponent first. Allocate available points according to this multiplier chart:
2 (DS) Defense Sat/(FR)Freighter X1
3 (FF) Frigate X4
4 (DD) DestroyerX6
5 (CL) Light Cruiser X8
6 (CA) Heavy Cruiser X10
7 (CC) Command Cruiser X12
8 (BCH) Heavy Battlecruiser X15
9 (DN) Dreadnought X20
10 (BB) Battleship X22
11 (CV)Carrier X25
12 (STB ) Starbase/ (BS)Base Station X50/75 (reroll, 50/50)
Here is an example of simple combat between the Klingon heavy cruiser Perseus and the Sha'kurian heavy cruiser Count: In this case, I won the toss, playing as the Perseus. That meant that I had to roll and allocate for the Sha'kurian first. (The point of all this 'coin tossing' is to add randomness to the gameplay in the single player game. It puts the luxury of being able to react to your opponent's first move on a totally random footing. And of course, whoever rolled second first time rolls first the next. Compare it to the coin toss to determine who receives the kickoff in a football game ) That first roll was a 6 (on a 1d6), for 60 points. Acting for the Shakurian, I decided to play it safe, putting it all on defense. As it turned out, the caution was unnecesary. The Klingon only rolled a 1.
IKS Perseus rolls:10 0o/10d
SRS Count rolls:60 0o/60d
Result:
IKS Perseus damage 0/25
SRS Count damage 0/15
For the next volley, the Klingon ship took its turn rolling first. It rolled a "3", for 30 points, and put them all on defense. It didn't save him because the Count rolled a 6.
IKS Perseus rolls:30 0o/30d
SRS Count rolls:60 60o/d
Result:
IKS Perseus destroyed
SRS Count damage 0/15
You'll note that the Perseus is able to take 25 points of damage. That is
because all of my play has given me a "Elite" rating. The increased available points is one of the benefits of that. For details, see "Experience Points: How to Get Them and What They Get You". If you want to take it a step further, you can capture ships using Simple Combat. You have to cause 10 points of damage to lower the enemy shields, then transport over. Ah, but to so that you have to lower your own shields. Do that by giving yourself (just for the 'transport' volley) 10 points damage. A bit tricky, with careful timing involved, but a great tactic. And of course, as new races are added to Fantasy Trek, there will be a few
necessary variations to these rules (i.e. Tholian Webs).
So what to do with all of this? As I said, the Simple Combat Game is ideal for extended scenarios involving many ships in combat. The latest is "Fifty Points" (details below)
Games in Play:
"Fifty Points"
Fifty Points remains on hiatus. I'm considering a few different things, including introducing random civilian ships, like the USS Gallipoli had to deal with. That would land each side with rescue operations to deal with, and possibly the civilian ships could be called upon to act as freighters. There is also the idea of possible rewards for making progress before other teams. I'm not going to start it back up just for the sake of starting it up.
"Head to Head Sector Assault"
Here are the rules for anyone who doesn't remember:
The goal is to conquer and hold all 5 systems.
In order to do this, you must conquer, then sufficiently defend the systems while denying your enemy access to those same systems. Reduce the enemy fleet sufficiently to prevent them from building a shipyard, and stop/destroy enough enemy convoys to deny random reinforcements sufficient to threaten your shipyards. You must also attain a minimum of 13 points (see 'Victory Conditions' below)
System Conquest:
Regardless of whether a system has been taken by enemy forces, you will face a random-sized enemy fleet upon first arrival in a new system. Roll 1d6 for size of enemy fleet, then subtract any applicable random fleet disadvantage (see below). Then use appropriate simple combat template. All surviving ships retain damage but can move and fight until destroyed. They can only be repaired by remaining in place for two turns (subject to random enemy attack each turn: (1d6: 4-6)) or by docking at shipyard for one turn. The system remains yours once you've defeated the initial fleet, but if left undefended, any attempt to conquer it will only be countered by a randomly generated fleet. You can (and should) choose to leave any combination of ships and/or a shipyard to defend it.
Open Space:
Enemy convoys will only be encountered in open spaces. Roll for encounter (3/6 chance). Then roll 1d6 for enemy escorts. 1-3= 1 CA escort. 4-6= 2 CA escorts. The random fleet disadvantage does not affect this. Random enemy convoy(s) must be stopped=at least 3/5 freighters destroyed or captured (5/15 damage and successful boarding party action), escorts destroyed or disabled (10/15 damage) in 5 volleys or less. Every convoy that is stopped decreases random enemy fleet size by one. This is the random fleet disadvantage. For every three freighters captured, your random fleet disadvantage is reduced by one. You will not encounter convoys in open spaces when you have conquered both adjacent systems
Enemy forces may be encountered in all open spaces (even between two conquered and held systems). Roll for encounter (2/6 chance), Roll for size of enemy fleet (use same method as in-system combat).
Shipyard:
Shipyards are recommended. They can only be built in systems that you hold (by destroying an initial assault fleet). Three starships must remain in system or open space area for three turns to build shipyard. During each turn 50% chance of random attack. (1d6: 4-6) LOS (line of sight) must be maintained to use or attack shipyard. Shipyard has X75 multiplier. Shipyard can construct replacement ships in 3 turns. While your fleet can not exceed 6 ships, additional ships built at shipyards do not count against this total. They cannot fight with full-sized fleets, but can supplement diminished fleets. The same rule applies to surviving random reinforcements. Since you must have a minimum of three ships to build a shipyard, it is recommended that you build at least one shipyard and at least two reserve ships just in case of unforseen losses. A fleet reduced to two ships and no shipyard to fall back would have little chance of victory.
If you want to register as a player, notify me through the Yahoo Group or a comment on the blogsite. I recommend keeping a record of your games played, as they add up to experience points that enrich your gaming experience.
Victory Conditions/Points-
Shipyards 5 (max)
Fleet size 6 (max)
Reinforcement capacity 6 (max)
You must conquer 5 systems and attain 13+ VC points
Turns 17 through 22
As predicted, things fell apart pretty quickly for the Feds, as we knew they would. Klingons had them from both directions, and the Feds simply had no way to come back. The only advantage that the Klingons had is my playing from the Klingon POV. which means that they had 35 damage potential as opposed to 15 for the Feds. So we'll run through it again. With a twist: space terrain. See Dev notes below for details. Anyway, here is the obit for the Feds this time around:
Turn 17)
(0510.15)
System 1: KSY1 idle.
System 2: KSY3 Turn 3 complete. KF2 (KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido) depart for open space.
System 5: KSY2 begin construct KCA IKS G'ker turn 1/3 contact? No contact. KF3 (KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh) on site.
System 4: FSY2 begin construct FCA USS Roanoake turn 1/3. Contact? No contact FF2 (FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn) on site.
Turn 18)
(0510.17)
System 1: KSY1 idle.
System 2: KSY3 idle.
Open Space (between 2 & 3) KF2 (KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido) arrives. Search for convoy: Contact? Contact. Ffr1-5, 2 FCA's. *lost toss KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido vs Ffr1-5, FCA USS Monitor FCA USS Merrimac. Ffr1-5, FCA USS Monitor FCA USS Merrimac destroyed. No damage to Klingons. Federation random fleet disadvantage at -2.
System 5: KSY2 begin construct KCA IKS G'ker turn 2/3 contact?. Contact 4 FCA's *lost toss KF3 (KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh) on site. KSY2 KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh vs FCA USS New Orleans FCA USS Biloxi FCA USS Pensacola FCA USS Destiny. FCA USS New Orleans FCA USS Biloxi FCA USS Pensacola FCA USS Destiny destroyed. No damage to Klingons.
System 4: FSY2 begin construct FCA USS Roanoake turn 2/3. Contact? Contact 3 KCA's *lost toss FF2 (FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn) on site. FSY2 FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn vs KCA IKS K'vett KCA IKS Kuda KCA IKS Korax. KCA IKS K'vett KCA IKS Kuda KCA IKS Korax destroyed. No damage to Feds
Turn 19)
(0510.17)
System 1: KSY1 idle.
System 2: KSY3 idle. Random attack? No contact
Open Space (between 2 & 3) KF2 (KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido) depart for System 3
System 5: KSY2 begin construct KCA IKS G'ker turn 3/3 contact?. Contact 1 FCA *lost toss KF3 (KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh) on site. KSY2 KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh vs FCA USS Custer. FCA USS Custer destroyed. No damage to Klingons.
System 4: FSY2 begin construct FCA USS Roanoake turn 3/3. Contact? Contact 1 KCA's *lost toss FF2 (FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn) on site. FSY2 FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn vs KCA IKS Kargan KCA IKS Kargan destroyed. No damage to Feds
Turn 20)
(0510.17)
System 1: KSY1 idle.
System 2: KSY3 idle.
System 3: KF2 (KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido) arrives. Contact: 1 FCA. *won toss. KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido vs FCA USS Damocles. FCA USS Damocles destroyed. No damage to Klingons. KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido depart for open space.
System 5: KSY2 begin construct KCA IKS SuvwI turn 1/3 contact?. No contact. KCA IKS G'ker complete joins KF3 KF3 (KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh) on site.
System 4: FSY2 begins construct FCA USS Perseus turn 1/3 contact? No contact. FCA USS Roanoake complete. Joins FF2 (FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn FCA USS Roanoake) depart for open space.
Turn 21)
(0510.17)
System 1: KSY1 idle.
System 2: KSY3 idle. Random attack? No contact
Open space (Between System 3 and System 4): KF2 (KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido) vs FF2 (FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn FCA USS Roanoake) *won toss. FCA USS Philadelphia FCA USS Orinoko FCA USS Hyperion FCA USS Sam Houston FCA USS Clyburn FCA USS Roanoake destroyed. No damage to Klingons.
System 5: KSY2 begin construct KCA IKS SuvwI turn 2/3 contact?. No contact. KF3 (KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh KCA IKS G'ker) on site.
System 4: FSY2 begins construct FCA USS Perseus turn 2/3 contact? No contact.
Turn 22)
(0510.18)
System 1: KSY1 idle.
System 2: KSY3 idle.
Open space (Between System 3 and System 4): KF2 (KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido) departs for System 4.
System 5: KSY2 begin construct KCA IKS SuvwI turn 3/3 contact?. No contact. KF3 (KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh KCA IKS G'ker) on site.
System 4: FSY2 begins construct FCA USS Perseus turn 3/3 contact? Contact: 3 KCA's *won toss FSY2 vs KCA IKS Vengeance KCA IKS Hegh'Bat KCA IKS Cha'dich. FSY2 destroyed. KCA IKS Vengeance 10/35 damage. Hegh'Bat KCA IKS Cha'dich undamaged.
Turn 22)
(0510.18)
System 1: KSY1 idle.
System 2: KSY3 idle.
Open space (Between System 3 and System 4): departs for System 4.
System 5: KSY2 idle KCA IKS SuvwI joins KF3 KF3 (KCA IKS G'tagh KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mek'leth KCA IKS Etlh KCA IKS G'ker KCA IKS SuvwI) on site.
System 4: KF2 (KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Qaw'lu KCA IKS Qui'tu KCA IKS D'kerr KCA IKS Sompek KCA IKS Kandido) arrive. KCA IKS Vengeance (10/35 damage) KCA IKS Hegh'Bat KCA IKS Cha'dich. Contact: 1 FCA *lost toss KCA IKS Vengeance (10/35 damage) KCA IKS Hegh'Bat KCA IKS Cha'dich vs FCA USS Jamestown. FCA USS Jamestown destroyed. No damage to Klingons
Shipyards 5 (max) 2
Fleet size 6 (max) 6+6
Reinforcement capacity 6 (max) 5
Klingons win with 19 VC points
Command College:
What Are Your Orders, Captain?
"Conflict of Interests" (TNG Era) Solution:
Exploring the ruins of an unidentified civilization, you discover a strange resin-like substance coating every artifact. Analysis reveals that the substance is biomatter. It might, your science officer suggests, be cellular residue of the population. Deep scans reveal that the residue could lead to a cure for a plague wiping out all life on a protected planet that is home to nothing but rain forests and insects. You are making preparations to test the biomatter when another ship enters orbit. The crew of the ship demands that you leave, claiming that the biomatter is in fact the only remains of a long-lost colony, and any disturbance would offend their religious beliefs.
You decide that you must respect the wishes of the alien culture. You withdraw from the area, leaving the site undisturbed. Your science officer and Chief Medical Officer use the tricorder scans taken of the biomatter to start looking for clues to curing the plague.
“What Are Your Orders, Captain?” will return next week
"Captain's Log"
"... a complete turnaround..."
(AOS Era)
Personal Log
Lieutenant Commander George Kirk
It's funny how one's perception of a people... of a planet, a society, a culture can do a complete turnaround thanks to the efforts of what appeared to be a three year old...
It was one of those incidents that you could miss if you happened to be looking away, or if you were checking travel documents, or just closing your eyes to wallow in the misery of your first exposure to Vulcan heat. As I was walking through Shi'kahr's main ground travel terminal, going from one flight to the next, I found my eyes drawn to three people moving swiftly through an otherwise slow-moving crowd. I couldn't help noticing (and I made an effort to not stare) because while they were obviously husband, wife and child, the man was a young, but very distinguished-looking Vulcan, while the woman was human. I've never heard of a human marrying a Vulcan, and this couple was obviously important. Diplomats. Politicians. Something like that. But what I was amazed to see, what completely changed my admittedly limited understanding of Vulcan culture, was a three year-old Vulcan child in a stroller smiling and laughing in a pleasant, sing-song voice. Oblivious, I suppose, to the impending reality of Vulcan stoicism, and whatever challenges a Vulcan/Human hybrid might face. The father looked as though he wanted to take his family out of the public eye as quickly as possible, and the mother seemed to be struggling to divide her attention between both of the men in her life. But the boy looked as if the world and the universe were nothing but safe, friendly playgrounds. I silently wished them all the good fortune they would certainly need in their unique life, and then resumed my hurried pace to the departure gate for the shuttle that would take me up to the Kelvin.
For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "... no matter what it costs...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.
Dev Notes:
I've done a great job of not looking after the day to day, week to week business while forging ahead with game development. Still in the testing and development stage is space terrain. Asteroid fields, nebula, black hole accretion disc. I only have rules for heavy cruisers now, but that'll change. Here are the rules so far:
Asteroid field
-heavy
--to hit: roll 6
--accident rate
volley 1 roll of 6 roll for damage
volley 2 roll of 5-6 roll for damage
volley 3 roll of 4-6 roll for damage
volley 4 roll of 3-6 roll for damage
volley 5 roll of 2-6 roll for damage
volley 6 roll for damage
-medium
--to hit: roll 5-6
--accident rate
volley 4 roll of 6 roll for damage
volley 5 roll of 5-6 roll for damage
volley 6 roll of 4-6 roll for damage
volley 7 roll of 3-6 roll for damage
volley 8 roll of 2-6 roll for damage
volley 9 roll for damage
-light
--to hit: roll 2-6
--accident rate
volley 6 roll of 6 roll for damage
volley 7 roll of 5-6 roll for damage
volley 8 roll of 4-6 roll for damage
volley 9 roll of 3-6 roll for damage
volley 10 roll of 2-6 roll for damage
volley 11 roll for damage
Nebula
temp 20% damage to simulate loss of shields
need 3-6 to hit
Black Hole Accretion Disc
need 3-6 to hit
--accident rate
volley 4 roll of 6 roll for damage
volley 5 roll of 5-6 roll for damage
volley 6 roll of 4-6 roll for damage
volley 7 roll of 3-6 roll for damage
volley 8 roll of 2-6 roll for damage
volley 9 roll for damage
volley 10 roll 1-3 to escape black hole.
Just to torture myself, I'm going to replay the Head to Head sector assault with random space terrain rules. Among other things, there will be systems incapable of supporting shipyards. That should add some spice to things.
As for Fifty Points, it is all talk and no action right now. Good thing nobody is paying a monthly fee for this :)
And much the same for June's calender image. Pencil has yet to touch paper. See you all next week…
No comments:
Post a Comment