• Registered: 2015-11-21
  • Posts: 11

Topic: Starmada Nova to VBAM 2nd Edition

So I've been snowed in for days, and have spent some of my cabin fever energy on this.

It's an attempt at a comprehensive way to merge VBAM 2e and Starmada Nova. I'm sure it's not perfect, and I'd really appreciate some outside critiques to continue working on it. I'll generate a force list or two over the next week to see how it looks.

The most important change in Starmada will be that groups of ships must be deployed in squadrons which must stay close to their flagship during the Starmada battle, or suffer penalties.

The second biggest changes in Starmada will be that battles usually end either with ships escaping to hyperspace or being destroyed - there are no 'victory point targets' since the ships are going to be persistent in the campaign.

Scout functions have also been changed in Starmada, and give general bonuses rather than counteracting ECM, since there are important reasons ships must take those functions in VBAM.

Carriers are also changed, not counting carried fighters in their CR, but only in their SU, since the fighters and drones must be built and can be based separately from carriers.

Finally, most ships will spend a fair amount of SU on Auxiliary Services under these conversion rules, so they can qualify for various useful VBAM traits they need in the campaign.  This means ships will often be less combat-effective than Starmada ships.

  • From: Denver, CO
  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 3,578

Re: Starmada Nova to VBAM 2nd Edition

I haven't seen VBAM 2e yet, so I can't really comment other than to say, "Ooh, shiny!" smile

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 859

Re: Starmada Nova to VBAM 2nd Edition

Neither have I--I've been waiting for the print versions, but I've forgotten to keep an eye out for them... :oops:

EDIT: Aaand it seems they're already available in print version.../sighs

  • Registered: 2015-11-21
  • Posts: 11

Re: Starmada Nova to VBAM 2nd Edition

Second draft of the rules and an example force list attached.

Big change is to the VBAM costing and maintenance systems, which should be a little simpler from here. You get an "adjustment" number from the Starmada CR in full increments of 1, 2, 3 etc and that increment moves up the VBAM cost and MAINT. For example, for a Frigate (Starmada Hull Size 5), the base VBAM cost is 3 EP. For every 100 Starmada Combat Rating or part thereof the ship's cost is bumped up by 1. So a Frigate with a Starmada Combat Rating of 75, the total cost would be 4 EP, but for a Frigate with a Starmada CR of 120, the cost would be 5 EP.

I'm still unhappy with TL and advancement.  Ship advancement in VBAM is very incremental, but there's a huge difference between a TL-1 and a TL0 ship in terms of available SU.  However, I wanted to avoid something like players choosing to 'unlock' certain Starmada traits or systems with each of their VBAM tech advances, which might restrict the basic stuff which makes Starmada Nova so interesting.  I welcome suggestions on this particular piece of the puzzle.

[attachment=1]VBAMStarmadaConversionRulesDraft2.pdf[/attachment]

Here's the initial Starmada and VBAM forcelist for the Paisal (or Paisali) colonies.

[attachment=0]VBAMStarmadaForceConversion.pdf[/attachment]

The force list shows how the system creates ships much less powerful than traditional Starmada ships in many ways, especially when they are trying to fulfill other roles like the Raja Class is.  Also, since the 'start' of a VBAM game is at Year 3000, which equates to Starmada TL -2, these are pretty tame ships in terms of firepower and CR.