51 Topic by Cartman

(0 replies, posted in Miniatures)

*as posted on CN's forums*

Well, I just received my 1.5 Terran fleet, plus a Terran BC. The "1.0" fleet I bought around Xmas was a Mauridian one (plus the extra BC, of course!). So while I wish I could compare both Mauridian fleets, I'll have to use the Terran fleet I have as a "benchmark" for the 1.5 wave.

It took me two weeks to receive the package, although you must consider I'm from Canada and I live on the East coast (CN is in California). Usually US packages sent to us from locations on the East Coast take less time. Still, two weeks... To their credit however, the package was very nicely put, and the shipping instructions were followed to the letter.

I took the time to thoroughly look at each ship I received and flat out I must say that the quality has improved dramatically, something in the order of 1000%. Even the smallest of details is very well formed. The picture on CN's site comparing a 1.0 to a 1.5 Terran ship side by side reflect perfectly the reality. There are no malformations, and very little flash. There are on two or three models some very light mold lines but they are the kind that you can easily cut/file/sand without damaging the model. I would like to point out that I'm usually anal about model quality, and I usually despise fanboys who praise every kind of crap you shove into them. So if I say I'm extremely pleased with this, they must be that good!

Also, I LOVE the new bases. I must say I wasn't particularly enamored with the wood bases, although they were nice. They seem very sturdy and are perfectly shaped. Those are some of the best bases I've seen so far. The only major problem I have noticed, and as I've read elsewhere, is that the posts don't fit in the mounting holes on the ships. For me that is not a problem as I have tons of extra posts from other sources or I can easily drill into the pole and glue in a cut paper clip. But still, if the posts would fit in I could avoid all that pesky extra work. The mounting holes however are VERY well formed, to the point where they don't seem to require extra drilling.

The Terrans models look much better, I must say, "live" than on the web. As with the Mauridians, they are some BIG pieces!

To put it simply, I consider CN's line of spaceship one of the better priced on the market; now with the '1.5' quality I see I can also add that it has become one of the highest quality lines as well on the market. To me, the ships are also the best-looking ones in any range, so to me they've become one of the very top deals overall out there.

I'm already thinking about another Mauridian fleet and I'm eagerly awaiting the Deisho line this fall.

Go to forum: Miniatures

52 Reply by Cartman

(10 replies, posted in Starmada)

I had proposed a while ago a modification of the screen rule to reflect backgrounds where shields/armor/defences are fixed yet different from one side to another. That is the case in games such as Aerotech 2, where you have a fixed set of armor points per side (6 in total, matching the hexes) and when they're gone, they're gone. The rule change was simply to use a multiplier of 4 (instead of 3) BUT the screen values cannot be changed from turn to turn.

Go to forum: Starmada

53 Reply by Cartman

(6 replies, posted in Starmada)

Ah see in the few games I was involved in where there was boarding action I can't remember for the life of me rolling to-hit. Boarding actions then must be quite difficult if you factor in the 5+ to-hit needed, scoring against full shield strength, the boarding pods being vulnerable to fighter defences/enemy fighters/regular weapons AND then try to fight Vs defending marines/sec teams.

Mind you, I don't have a problem with that because I think it should be hard to defeat an enemy vessel solely or mostly using boarding parties. I see the use of boarding parties as more like finishing up crippled ships or much smaller ones. In the "other" game (FT) the rules have been designed on purpose (and the text even says so) to also make it hard to defeat a ship with boarding actions. 

For that pirate setting however, I'll modify the rules (maybe forgo the to-hit roll) to make boarding actions easier to conduct and playtest them. ARRR A-MATIE!

Go to forum: Starmada

54 Topic by Cartman

(6 replies, posted in Starmada)

I'm about to introduce S:X to two new players to the genre (ie sci-fi gaming) and we're doing a 'pirates in space' game where there's going to be a fair amount of boarding action. I'm a bit rusty on these rules so I re-read them and I was wondering :

1-when your boarding marines roll against defending crew (NOT marines/security teams), do they still lose a squad on a '1'? (I'd say no)

2-are the attacker/defender rolls simultaneous? (I'd say yes/hope so/should be)

3-no 'to-hit' is necessary for the boarding pods; only PEN roll (I'm 99% positive that's a yes- and I do know that the rolls are made Vs FULL shield value, not half like fighters... I did look over the FAQ!!!)

4-If I use the example provided on P.29 C.16.1; The lone boarding party that made it can fight onboard for how long/how many turns? Does it make its roll and then is considered 'spent' (regardless of the result) or gets to stay on board and make one roll every turn? (until all crew are dead)

4B-say you have 6 boarding parties and 4 security teams; In the End Phase the 6 invaders kill 2 sec teams and lose 1 party (roll of 1) while the sec team kills 1 invader and lose 1 sec team (roll of 1); then you have  4 invaders remaining, and 1 sec team - now the question is, do they go for another round of rolls in the SAME End Phase until either ALL boarders are repelled or ALL sec teams (or defending marines) are killed off; OR does the other round of fighting occurs in the FOLLOWING End Phase? (mmh I lean towards the former but it's pretty 50-50)

Thanks!

Go to forum: Starmada