Topic: A couple more Starmada tweaks

And another pre-forum topic that should be continued...

Rich Oden wrote:

Full of 'em lately, aren't I?  Not entirely sure these are new (somebody must have had this idea already), but I'd like some feedback on costs:

Weapon trait, Volatile:  Any time a volatile weapon is destroyed, immediately roll one die on the ship's damage chart, which *can* trigger further rolls if more Volatile weapons are hit.  SU multiplier x0.5, maybe?

Equipment, Volatile Drive System:  Any time a ship with VDS takes an Engine hit (ie loses a movement point), roll one die on the ship's damage chart, which *can* trigger further roll if more Engine hits are caused.  SU's of Engines x0.5, perhaps??

Volatile systems may not be repaired by any means during the course of a scenario, although other damage caused by their explosions may be.

Good for modelling explosive ordnance of all kinds (weapons) or engines that run on antimatter/black holes/plain old rocket fuel (drives).  Also good for building those "firecracker" ships you see in a lot of anime...you know, the Nameless Bad Guy designs that show up in groups of at least a thousand and appear to have packed their cargo holds full of nitroglycerin before the battle.  smile

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

Re: A couple more Starmada tweaks

Oh sure, you resurrect the fool post and don't comment on it.  Any thoughts on the SU mults?  I was really guessing there...

Rich

Re: A couple more Starmada tweaks

Rich Oden wrote:

Weapon trait, Volatile:  Any time a volatile weapon is destroyed, immediately roll one die on the ship's damage chart, which *can* trigger further rolls if more Volatile weapons are hit.  SU multiplier x0.5, maybe?

I think the SU cost is fine... what's more important is how the volatile trait affects the point cost.

Unfortunately, there's no easy answer, since the frequency of this extra point of damage varies with the size of the ship and the number of volatile weapons (or, for that matter, the number of engine boxes in the case of "Volatile Engines").

I suppose you could apply the same x0.5 modifier for starters, but I'd want this playtested extensively...

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

Re: A couple more Starmada tweaks

Fair enough.  The effect is somewhat self-limiting, of course...the more Volatile weapons you mount, the more the effect hurts you, since they'll be occupying more slots on Ye Old Damage Chart.  Still say it's perfect for those dinky "spear-carrier" ships in settings like Starblazers, which carry decent firepower but explode like rear-ended Pintos.

Anyone remember the old Renegade Legion Interceptor modules?  There was one scenario where the "heroic" TOG fighter squadron is flying against a bunch of captured Rebels while being filmed for a propaganda movie.  The Rebs' fighters are all captured secondhand ships which have been prepped by the TOG SFX crews by packing them with explosives and magnesium strips for better kabooms...  smile

Rich