• Registered: 2007-12-19
  • Posts: 3

Topic: My first ship design

Howdy everyone, I'm new to the forums.  I just picked up Admiralty Edition yesterday (my first foray into Starmada) and gave it a good read through.  I thought I might design my very first ship to make sure I understand the rules, so here it is for your proofing and critique.  I designed the ship the good old fashion way, with a pencil and pad of paper.

MishimaWorks XK-515/08 Heavy Frigate
Hull Size 8 (SU 1493)
Engine Rating 5 (515 SU)
Shield Rating 4 (432 SU)
Special: Carrier - 3 Fighter Squadrons (150 SU)

Weapons
Particle Cannon 2AB (176 SU)
Rng 15 / RoF 1 / Acc 4+ / Imp 3 / Dmg 3

Heavy Point Defense Cannon 2AC/2BD/1EF (SU 220)
Rng 6 / RoF 2 / Acc 4+ / Imp 2 / Dmg 1

Weapon Damage Track
AB/EF
AB
AC
AC
BD
BD

The idea of the ship is a general, all-purpose ship of the line.  It's not very big, but it seems to be pretty tough and can dish out some steady damage with its main weapons.  The fighters are mainly to help deal with fast, flanking ships and other enemy fighters.

I'm not sure if it's just my dumb luck or a feature of the ship-builder itself, but I did manage to use every last SU.

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

Re: My first ship design

Achtung Minen! wrote:

Howdy everyone, I'm new to the forums.

Welcome!

MishimaWorks XK-515/08 Heavy Frigate
Hull Size 8 (SU 1493)

Looks good -- my math says it ends up with a CR of 331; nice punch with the particle cannons!

Engine Rating 5 (515 SU)
Shield Rating 4 (432 SU)
Special: Carrier - 3 Fighter Squadrons (150 SU)

So far, so good.

Weapons
Particle Cannon 2AB (176 SU)
Rng 15 / RoF 1 / Acc 4+ / Imp 3 / Dmg 3

Minor quibble -- these take up 264 SUs.

Base SU cost = 15 x 1 x 3.25 x 3.6 / 4 = 43.875, round up to 44
44 x (2 weapons + 4 arcs) = 264

Heavy Point Defense Cannon 2AC/2BD/1EF (SU 220)
Rng 6 / RoF 2 / Acc 4+ / Imp 2 / Dmg 1

These you've OVER-costed:

Base SU cost = 6 x 2 x 2.25 x 1.6 / 4 = 10.8, round up to 11
11 x (5 weapons + 10 arcs) = 165

It works out to a final SU total of -33. So either lose one fighter bay or drop the DMG of the particle cannons to 2.

Weapon Damage Track
AB/EF
AB
AC
AC
BD
BD

I'm confused; your weapon damage track should look like this:

1  2  3  4  5  6
X  X  Y  Y  Y  Y

Can you explain why you did it this way? I hope the example in the rulebook didn't lead you astray...

The idea of the ship is a general, all-purpose ship of the line.  It's not very big, but it seems to be pretty tough and can dish out some steady damage with its main weapons.  The fighters are mainly to help deal with fast, flanking ships and other enemy fighters.

Looks like a solid design to me.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2007-12-19
  • Posts: 3

Re: My first ship design

Nope, that was just me not reading the rules carefully!  I'm glad I posted this, I think I understand the system a lot more now.  Here's the updated profile, I toned down the defense cannons rather than reduce the main guns or fighters.  Is it legal to have no Z battery?  I only have two types of weapons...

MishimaWorks XK-515/08 Heavy Frigate
Hull Size 8 (SU 1493)
Engine Rating 5 (515 SU)
Shield Rating 4 (432 SU)
Special: Carrier - 3 Fighter Squadrons (SU 150), 2 Marine Squads (SU 10)

Weapons
Particle Cannon (44 bSU)
Rng 15 / RoF 1 / Acc 4+ / Imp 3 / Dmg 3

[AB]    [AB] (SU 264)

Heavy Point Defense Cannon 2AC/2BD/1EF (bSU 8 )
Rng 6 / RoF 2 / Acc 5+ / Imp 2 / Dmg 1

[AC]    [AC]    [BD]    [BD]    [EF]    (SU 120)

Weapon Damage Track
X Battery
2 Particle Cannons        2

Y Battery
5 Defense Cannons        4

Z Battery
Empty

1    2    3    4    5    6
X    X    Y    Y    Y    Y

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,286

Re: My first ship design

Nothin illegal about leavin a battery empty.

Just remember to recycle that empty battery later at an approved facility.  lol

  • Registered: 2007-12-19
  • Posts: 3

Re: My first ship design

So there is no downside to putting every weapon in a single battery?  Seems to  be more compact on the weapon chart that way.

  • Registered: 2006-08-07
  • Posts: 161

Re: My first ship design

Achtung Minen! wrote:

So there is no downside to putting every weapon in a single battery?  Seems to  be more compact on the weapon chart that way.

Only one kind of weapon per battery.