1 Reply by GhengisRexx

(21 replies, posted in Starmada)

Played a few games yesterday with limited ammo weapons, so I can share some observations. 

First game, I used long range ammo 2 weapons with extra hull damage, and a bunch of teleporters & marines.   Came up 1 hull damage/ marine short of capturing enemy ship.   
Lessons.  More transporters, less marines.  Always have secondary armament.

Also played a 1000 point game. Max ship size 500. 4 ship minimum.   I took a 375 pt cruiser and 3 escort carriers with 2 fighter squadrons each.  My ships were armed with Hydra MIRV ship killer missles. range 30  rof 5, inverse range based rof.  ammo 1 (2 for the cruiser)
My opponent took a 500 point BattleCruiser, and 3 small (Hull 3) escorts.  All with stealth. As soon as we got within range 30 my opponent fired a pair range 30, inv range modifiers,  rof3 imp 3 dam 3 (ammo 4) guns. 
the salvo destroyed my heavy cruiser.  Turn two I reach med range (long due to stealth )My Missles damaged his escorts. The third turn the final two points of ammo vaporized 2 of my 3 carriers while my return volley destroyed 2 escorts and crippled the third.

Adept flying by my fighters avoided the bulk of his cruisers anti fighter guns and the game ended with his cruiser surrounded by fighters.
I do think ammo weapons are powerful, but it seems that a simple counter is lots of small ships.  If my opponent wants to
put a 200 point weapon in his ships, I will gladly offer a 50 point frigate to jump on front of that bullet. 

I do think that ammo based defenses might be an interesting option for counters.

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2 Reply by GhengisRexx

(14 replies, posted in Miniatures)

Litko Aerosystems makes adhesive magnetic bases. They are very reasonably priced. Stick em right on the bottom of a hex/round / rectangle base.  I use them for my Hordes/Warmachine army and my starships. Then I just put the ships on a metal tray. (old shelf unit)  Fast cheap solution.  For added protection, put the tray in a plastic case.

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3 Reply by GhengisRexx

(3 replies, posted in Starmada)

Thanks for the quick reply.  I just got my download.

I really appreciate the help.   Now to make my fleet of death.

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4 Topic by GhengisRexx

(3 replies, posted in Starmada)

Just a quick note, I just purchased the Starmada core rules and the Imperial source book, and RPGNOW links are both for the sourcebook.

Hopefully they will resolve this quickly.   (So much for instant gratification)

I will post an update when (if??) it is resolved.

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5 Reply by GhengisRexx

(11 replies, posted in For the Masses)

If there is a new version needing playttesting. I am interested.

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6 Topic by GhengisRexx

(0 replies, posted in For the Masses)

Got a chance to play 4 games this weekend.  (yes we completely skipped a night of sleep)

Here are some thoughts and observations.

Our first game was 2500 points on a 6' x 3' table covered with Heroscape hexes.  ( and an absurd amount of terrain)

Waaay too many points for a first game, starting at 11pm.   

My opponent had a well crafted Dwarf army with 3 leaders, 2 infantry companies and 3 companies of crossbowman.

Opposing the stunties was an Orc horde. 3 Leaders, 2 shaman, a small company of bowman, 3 siege engines, a small skirmish company of spearmen, Footman and Boar riders.

The orcs won the intial cp roll, by a cruel miracle, and after deploying forces, raced archers and Boars to control  hills in the center of the board.

THe dwarves struggled mightily to get through the forest, reforming again and again, while the Orc siege engines suffered the same problem. (Move 1 is NOT an option any longer)

Racing to cut the dwarves in half the Orcs strung out their army, leaving units out of command range, but drawing first blood cutting down crossbowman with a devastating volley of arrows.

Subsequent turns resulted in a complete cp reversal, and the dwarves emerged from the rough in tight formation, shattering the orc bowmen, adn healing wounded crossbowmen.
Leading the charge were 3 summoned Iron Gollems. (300 pt monsters) ( with extend x2 for two turns with no upkeep)

Realizing the danger of these monstrosities, orc spearmen attacked the sumoner and then charged. Lasting a surpisingly long time, and making morale check after morale check while waiting for reinforcements.

As the reinforcements moved up, the dwarves supplimented their cp advantage magically, and decisively flanked the orc infantry.

A trio of Sumoned ogres reached the dwarves, and managed to tie up one of the Gollems, but by now three orc units were destroyed.

At this point the surviving orcs fled the field.

Our observations:  the spell summon can be vastly abusive. Our new rule is that each factor Summon gets a 100 point monster, so a summon x3 for 6 mp is needed for a 300 point monster. Also only one summoned creature per caster is now permitted.

Man are command points important.  I had 4d10, my opponent had 6d12. He also had 6d12 magic points and the command point spell.

Healing spells are probably too cheap. 2 mp +1mp per extra hit is much cheaper than strike ( 2mp for a d6 attack)

Overall the game system is as fun as we had hoped, but Missle attacks are very very kludgey.   Having 2-3 ranks, and different hit penalties for los made every ranged attack a lot more work.

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7 Topic by GhengisRexx

(0 replies, posted in For the Masses)

After making a handful of armies I have noticed that there is a problem with the excel spreadsheet.

On the Army Card tab, the bottom row of troops will not properly show any specials that would appear on the rightmost row.

There is an error in the formula.   Please feel free to message me for a corrected sheet.

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8 Reply by GhengisRexx

(5 replies, posted in For the Masses)

re: the Lich King.

To be honest, I have no idea of the effectiveness of, or balance of the army as a whole. It is based on figs in my collection. ( And the Lich King on the zombie dragon was so cool, I had to make him a rediculously high point value)

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9 Reply by GhengisRexx

(5 replies, posted in For the Masses)

Thanks for the quick reply.  I just got the rules this week and have been pouring over them and getting ready for a game. ( I think I need more Heroscape tiles though smile


Overall I really like the rules, ( bought em because of how much we loved Starmada), but there are some things I'd like to see.

Morale for Personalities.  Maybe make it cheap so its easy to be 'heroic',
but generals running can be critical. Remember Darius?

More attack dice available on the spreadsheet.   An artillery unit with 3d for attack, can only destroy one element, best case scenario. A missle hero with 3d can only inflict one wound per attack (2 if he carries over a half and attacks twice.) 

Undead Legions of the Lich King

Zombies
Every farm, settlement and town overrunn provides more raw material for the lich Kings vile sorcery.   Badly armed, and nearly unskilled, Zombie troops provide value on the battlefield by absorbing large amounts of damage without breaking
Infantry 23 pts
Defense 0
Melee 2d4  (pitchforks, knives, spears & sickles)
Move 3
Wounds 4
Morale 1+
Specials Cause Fear, Fearless, Slow Moving, Undead

Skeletal Warriors
Warriors who oppose the might of the Lich King are rewarded with an eternal enlistment into the forces they once opposed.  These skeletal warriors are better armed and trained than the zombie peasants, and are used to strike quickly into vulnerable sections of the enemy lines.
Infantry 234 points
Defense 2 (tattered armor and shield)
Melee 2d6  (rusty swords, spears and axes)
Move 5
Wounds 2 (fragile)
Morale 1+
Specials Cause Fear, Fearless, Quick, Undead

Skeletal Champion
The greatest of the fallen are subject to particularly vile ceremonies, and imbued with power to command lesser undead troops.
Personality 266pts
Defense 3
Melee 3d6 (ensorcelled blade)
Move 5
Wounds 6
Command d6
SPeecials
Cause Fear, Fearless, Undead

Death Knight
Ongoing exposure to death and suffering and black magic empower independent intellect and magical abilities.
Personality 1819 pts
Defense 3 Heavy Enchanted armor
Melee 3d8 Runesword
Move 4
Wounds 8
Cmd Dice d6
Magic Dice 2d6
SPecials Cause Fear, Horror, Magic Resistance 2, Undead
Spells
Dread Gaze 6 (Despair + exend)   THe mere gaze of a Death Knight can send enemy units scurying for the edge of the map
Black Charge5  (Protect + Speed)   Black sorceries hasten the charge of the dead into the fray, making them harder to target

Yellowman 3 (slow)  Stains darken the legs of those who reluctanly aproach their doom

Ghouls
These foul beasts feed on the flesh of the fallen warriors who oppose them, preparing them to be raised as skeletons.  They prefer to use their speed to attack foes from the flanks or rear, spreading terror with their feeding frenzy.
Infantry  179
Defense 1  lighning reflexes
Melee 2d6  disease encrusted claws and fangs
Move 5
Wounds 5 horrifically resiliant
Specials Cause Fear, Horror, Fearless, QUick, Undead

Ghoul Lord
A loathsome giant horror, who grows fatter with every battle. The Ghoul lord revels in death and sufferering as he feasts on his hapless victims.
Personality  516
Defense 2  tremendously Obese
Melee 2d10 Frighteningly powerful
Move 4 Fast for a giant fat guy
Wounds 8
Command d6
Magic d8
SPells
Paralysis (Despair 4)  The mere sight of the ghoul lord can turn a warriors blood to ice.
Sickness (Wasting )  Poisonous flatulence sickens and tenderizes the Ghoul lords enemies
Zombie Bomb (Strike Strike Sacrifice 6)  Injecting a hapless zombie with foul poison the Ghoul lord hurls the infected bomb into enemy ranks


THE LICH KING
Conquering death was but the first Great victory for the Lich King.  His inastiable lust for death has been the down fall of a dozen kings, and the great wrym Fanghorn, who serves as his steed in death.
Personality 2916
Defense 3 (magical wards)
Melee 2d12 (zombie Dragon fangs and claws)
Range 3d6/6  Magical bolts
Move 8
wounds 10
Cmd 2d6
Magic 2d8
Specials Cause Fear, Horror, Undead
Spells
Raise dead 6 (animate, animate) Those who do not run die, and those who die, rise to fight again

Dark Tunnel 12 (wasting x3)   Treacherous Necromancy fools many warriors to march unwittingly through deaths door

Black Beserking 4 (Frenzy)

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10 Topic by GhengisRexx

(5 replies, posted in For the Masses)

Is it possible to use the Wasting spell x3 in a single cast to reduce all the wounds in a unit by 3? 

If so, would that kill an entire unit of wound 3 elements?


IF Area of effect is part of a spell, will it effect an entire unit if it covers a single element?


If a spell effects a target rather than a hex, is it necessary to bump up the AOE twice to get a 7 hex area? ( the rules say that the first increse is from a target to a hex)

one more question- Do casters have to maintain the Animate spell every turn?

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11 Reply by GhengisRexx

(42 replies, posted in Starmada)

I love the idea of adding extra armor boxes, now we need a modifier the allows a weapon to skip ablative armor.  (I feel every system should have a counter)

smile

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12 Reply by GhengisRexx

(7 replies, posted in Starmada)

Any games scheduled for the end of the week (Thursday or Friday?)

Im  in Del Ray beach for the week, and might be able to head down for an afternoon.

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13 Reply by GhengisRexx

(4 replies, posted in Starmada)

In a nutshell, in an effort to investigate fighter balance, we each created 2 550 point fleets, one with and one without fighters, and randomly matched them up.

In the first battle, I used a 250 pt BC with stealth, one spinal mount a single very large A battery ( ignores shields, increased damage) and sevaral smaller guns.

The rest of the fleet consisted of a CA with fairly good defenses, a glass cannon DD with a nasty gun and no shields, and 4 Corvettes for anti figher duty.

My opponents fleet was 2 CL sized (hull6) carriers with 2x spinal mounts, stealth and 3 small figher flights each. (1 int, 2 bomber), and a small escort (hull4?)

Long range fire destroyed 3 of the escort corvettes and heavily damaged  the Cruiser.  My BC missed consistently, only hitting once - as the a battery was getting destroyed.

We called the game after 5 turns, with all 4 of my escorts and my cruiser space dust, the BC damaged adn surrounded by `12 fighters.   Both Carriers were heavly damaged, and the escort was destroyed.

I should have taken sunbursts. But I knew that. sad

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14 Reply by GhengisRexx

(14 replies, posted in Starmada)

AHHH, yes, that is a bit too far for a game. Unfortunate, Taunton MA USA, is about 30 miles from here, and very close to where a few of my droogs still live.

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15 Topic by GhengisRexx

(4 replies, posted in Starmada)

After a pair of uuuuugly defeats this weekend, I started to redesign my New 500 point fleet.  While toying around with the spreadsheet, I came up with this pint sized monster fleet.

500 points.

100x  GunSat class CT

Hull: 1
Engines {TL0} 1
Shields 0
Weapons [TL0]
none
Special Equipment [TL0]

Hyperdrive [0], Spinal Mount [0], Electronic Warfare System[0], Long Range Sensors [0] Armor Plating

The only question is do I reeeealy want to have a 100 ship swarm fleet?

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16 Reply by GhengisRexx

(2 replies, posted in Starmada)

To be honest, we like the idea of ships careening around, practically out of control, and occasionally slamming into an asteroid 8)   Personally I am thinking of a system more like the old Triplanetary, but with more acceleration.

So far most of our games have been decided at longer ranges, with virtually all the shooting in the ab arc.  Hoping to add more of a manuever element to the game.


So how does the game play with any vector system?  Any thoughts?

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17 Topic by GhengisRexx

(2 replies, posted in Starmada)

We have been thinking about experimenting with a vector movement system in our Starmada games.  I have a couple questions for those of you who may have played around with this concept.

#1 How does the vector movement system in Starmada X change the 'feel' of the game?   Does manuevering become any more important?  What other differences do you notice?


#2  Somerwhere out there I saw some folks were using Full Thurst rules with Starmada.  Has anyone on this forum tried that (or something similar)  Impressions??

thanks!

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18 Reply by GhengisRexx

(7 replies, posted in Starmada)

I am visitng my inlaws in Del Ray beach that week. ( I think we arrive on the 8th)   Perhaps if the fates smile on us, I will be able to hijack the minvan and head on down for a game.

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19 Reply by GhengisRexx

(14 replies, posted in Starmada)

As we speak, I am designing a task force around those beautiful, big ship killing weapons.  ( and eagerly awaiting my fleetpack from Brigade)

smile


btw- is that Taunton MA ?

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20 Reply by GhengisRexx

(14 replies, posted in Starmada)

Ok, that is what we thought with PD,

What about the other question?  If a weapon with Ignores Shields and Increased Penetration hits, is there a pen roll vs a 0 shield?

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21 Topic by GhengisRexx

(14 replies, posted in Starmada)

Do weapons that Ignore shields also ignore PD?  (The rules say "This weapon's penetration dice automatically get through the targets shields."- implying that no Pen roll is needed, therefore bypassing PD)


If there is still a Pen roll, (allowing PD to stop 50% of the hits) does that mean that a weapon with Increased Pen and Ignores shields would roll Pen vs a 0 shield? (Potentialy doing 7x damage on a roll of 6)

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22 Reply by GhengisRexx

(15 replies, posted in Starmada)

Hmm, Interesting.   As it was originally written, doubling rof 1->2 increased cost by 50%, tripling it 1->3 doubled the cost.

Your point about the cost vs effectiveness of  rof ves ability to take extra hits is valid with the modified formula my group decided to use, but not as much so with the original formula. 

And with the original formula, there was no reason to make p or d more than one due to the cost.

Now it seems we have made p & d more viable, but rof is much less so.

The only other consideration for rof is when trying to insure that the number of weapons in a battery is 50% of hull or less.  I prefer to keep the number of weapons down to exactly 50% of my hull, so I have less chance of losing one on a hit.

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23 Reply by GhengisRexx

(15 replies, posted in Starmada)

Here is a tool for anyone that wants to use adjusted rules for cost on high ROF weapons.   This spreadsheet basically reverses the cost of ROF and P&D.  ROF is now more expensive, P&D are less expensive; as was the original intent of the game design. 

Having designed a few ships and played a few games, we are quite pleased  with the results.


Enjoy!

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24 Reply by GhengisRexx

(7 replies, posted in Starmada)

Hmmm,
I am visiting my inlaws in Delray beach around that same time.  Ill have to check my schedule.  It might be good to get away for destruction. hehe.

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25 Topic by GhengisRexx

(7 replies, posted in Starmada)

I am interested in examining combinations of equipment or effects that are particularly nasty, or even unbalanced, and what possible counters are.

For example after losing a 415 pt BB to a 55 pt cloaking frigate with all expendables, I will probably keep a flight of fighters on CAP; or at least a few drones to smack down disposable ships in the fighter phase. ( And we may put in cargo requirements in fleets with ships with expendables, or increase the costs to .33 or .5 if the need seems to be there after a few more games.)

Noticed that an expendable ignores shields, increased damage combo is not going to be pleasant to get tickled with.

LR Sensors and Stealth.  Nuf said.

-Please note, I play with friends, and we will "abuse" the system (and each other), and then make our house rules to close the loopholes. I'd love to see what experienced players use for house rules.

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