• Registered: 2005-03-31
  • Posts: 54

Topic: Movement issue that came up today (SAE)

I just finished playing a game using the SAE rules. Despite some of my initial reservations now both my opponent and I decidedly prefer them over the S:X rules.

A small oddity however seemed to occur when attempting to move one of my ships; you decide - here's what happened :

-engine rating of 4 (undamaged)
-previous speed of 4

My order for that turn was : PP (two turns to port), for a thrust requirement of 4 (PP = the sum of the current turn' speed <0> and the previous turn' speed <4> )

But... If I had decelerated to, say a speed of 1 then the order would have been illegal (previous 4 + current 1 = 5 > engine rating of 4)

So it struck me as odd... basically I can do a dead stop but I can't decelerate.

Did I miss something   :?:

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

Re: Movement issue that came up today (SAE)

Yes, because you're still thinking in terms of "acceleration" and "deceleration".

Consider:

In the case of previous speed 4, new plot "PP", you've basically used thrust to cancel out your momentum -- note that, if your current speed is zero, it doesn't matter what turns (if any) you perform; your thrust requirement will always be equal to your previous speed.

Now, if your previous speed is 4, and you plot "P1P" (or "1PP" or "PP1"), you have not only canceled your momentum, you're also moving 1 hex/turn in a new direction. That's where the "extra" thrust comes from.

Think of it this way:

Place a ship counter in a hex. Now, place a second marker four hexes "north" of the ship. This indicates where you would have gone if you'd applied no thrust. Then, place a third marker adjacent to the first, in a direction 120* off the line between the first and second markers. This is your new "vector" after plotting "PP1" (or "P1P" or "1PP"). (Note that the three different plots place your ship in different locations, but your new course/speed is the same -- 1 hex/turn to the "southwest".)

Now, count the distance between the second and third markers. This is your thrust requirement, or the amount of thrust needed to change your "vector" from 4 hexes/turn-north to 1 hex/turn-southwest.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2005-03-31
  • Posts: 54

Re: Movement issue that came up today (SAE)

you have not only canceled your momentum, you're also moving 1 hex/turn in a new direction. That's where the "extra" thrust comes from.

Interestingly, that is EXACTLY what my opponent explained when we discussed the issue.

Well the important thing is that so far the new movement rules are working incredibly well. After only two games we've completely absorbed the rules. 

The thing I *really* like is that I can plot my movement and know precisely where the ship will go. And also, I find that the delayed turn & pivot rules (well especially the pivot rules) allow for much more possibilities and yet remain very easy to implement. The days of very slow battleship having predictable movement are over :twisted:

  • Registered: 2005-10-27
  • Posts: 18

Re: Movement issue that came up today (SAE)

Cartman wrote:

Interestingly, that is EXACTLY what my opponent explained when we discussed the issue.

I essentially called it the Spaceballs Eagle-5 U-turn. I find that I'm using quite a few Spaceballs quotes to describe SAE movement for some odd reason.

"We can't stop (or turn) , we have to slow down first!"  smile

Sir Didymus