• Registered: 2009-12-10
  • Posts: 30

Topic: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Hi.


Between Klingon Armada and Romulan Armada, there is a range of seven factions available for the game system - though only five of those (Fed, Klingon, Romulan, Kzinti, Gorn) are fleshed out enough to work as viable fleets.

Of those, I'm guessing most of the interest has been in the 'big three'. However, I wanted to talk a little about the other guys; the tigermen of the Kzinti Hegemony and the giant reptilians of the Gorn Confederation.


How do the Kzinti and Gorn fleets stack up as they currently stand? What kind of tactics might you use against each power's neighbours (Feds and Klingons in one case, Feds and Roms on the other) - or, indeed, if you cross the Octant and have a go at the powers over on the other side?


They might not be as popular as some of their rivals, but can the Kzintis and Gorns still hold their own... or perhaps throw a few surprises into the mix?

  • Registered: 2010-03-05
  • Posts: 7

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Hi There,

I've played a couple of games with them. We did Federdtion vs Kzinti and Gorn vs Romulan games. I'd say they played pretty well. We ended up only using bolted plasmas due to the Romulan cloaking devices, so I haven't test out the 'plasma ballet' yet, but the Kzinti drones were quite useful.

Ciao,
Colin

  • Registered: 2009-12-10
  • Posts: 30

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Nice.


Did you make use of the carronade option against the Romulans, too?

  • Registered: 2010-03-05
  • Posts: 7

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Didn't really get a chance, I'm afraid. The range wasn't very good the one time a cloaked ship was detected. The Gorn decided to wait and use the plasma when the Roms decloaked.

  • Registered: 2009-12-10
  • Posts: 30

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Maybe you'll have better luck next time!


(As an aside, it occurred to me that even without PPD rules, the current plasma options allow for certain ISC ships to fly in the game already. I suspect it'll be a long while before I see any of those in-system, but still... Hooray!)

  • Registered: 2022-11-14
  • Posts: 86

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Nerroth wrote:

Maybe you'll have better luck next time!


(As an aside, it occurred to me that even without PPD rules, the current plasma options allow for certain ISC ships to fly in the game already. I suspect it'll be a long while before I see any of those in-system, but still... Hooray!)

You could always design your own. Other than the splash damage I don't remember anything about the PPD that can't be covered with the basic Starmada weapon design.

How about this for a PPD w/overload?
Regular Mode: RNG -/10/15, ROF 1, ACC 3+, IMP 1, DMG 1; Increased Hits, Minimum Range
Overload Mode: RNG -/10/-, ROF 2, ACC 3+, IMP 1, DMG 1; Carronade, Increased Hits, Minimum Range

Minimum Range encourages Echelon Tactics & Increased Hits mimics the pulses.

  • Registered: 2010-05-11
  • Posts: 8

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

The PPDs actually look nice. I myself have been fighting with the Hydrans. Fusions were easy, it's the Hellbores I'm stuck on.

This is what I came up with:
Phaser-G: 3/6/9, ROF 2, ACC 4+, IMP 1, DMG 1; Range Based ROF

Fusion Beams:
Regular Mode: 5/10/15, ROF 1, ACC 4+, IMP 1, DMG 2; Ranged Based Damage
Overload Mode: 5/10/15, ROF 1, ACC 4+, IMP 1, DMG 2; Carronade, Ranged Based Damage

Hellbores:
Regular Mode: 5/10/15, ROF 1, ACC 4+, IMP 2, DMG 1; Ranged Based Impact
Overload Mode: 5/10/15, ROF 1, ACC 4+, IMP 2, DMG 1; Carronade, Ranged Based Impact

Stinger Flights:
Stingers (3), 3/7/0, (Fighter/5+/ROF-2)(Striker/5+/Bomber/DMG-2)               
Stingers (6), 6/7/0, (Fighter/5+/ROF-2)(Striker/5+/Bomber/DMG-2)               
Stinger H, 3/7/0, (Fighter/5+/ROF-2)(Striker/5+/Bomber/DMG-2/IMP-2)

As for ESGs - that I have no idea...

  • Registered: 2022-11-14
  • Posts: 86

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

My take on Fusions pretty similar, but the Hellbores are a little different. The main thing I try to do when designing weapons to fit into the SFB universe, is to keep the SU value similar to existing weapons. Mainly the Disrupter & Photon. (Disr SU: 30, Photon SU: 24) The PPD comes in at an SU of 28.

Fusions are short ranged and inaccurate, but if they hit you they are gonna hurt.
Fusion Beam, 3/6/9, 1/5+/1/2, Range-Based DMG
Fusion Beam OL, 3/6/-, 1/5+/1/4, Carronade; Range-Based DMG               
SU: 20

Hellbores could use some sort of enveloping trait,but I went with a higher IMP and Piercing +1.
I could see how Ranged Based Impact could work too.
Hellbore, 5/10/15, 1/4+/2/1, Piercing +1
Hellbore (OL), 5/10/-, 1/4+/4/1, Carronade; Piercing +1               
SU: 36

Phaser G I just went with a Phaser 3 with Range Based ROF.
Phaser-G, 3/6/9, 1/4+/1/1, Anti-Fighter; Range-Based ROF
SU:12 (Phaser 3 SU is 6)

Stingers I went with flight sizes of 1,3 & 6 to cover all the different load outs.
After seeing your designs I may redo the second mode as Strikers to represent the single shot nature of the Fusion/Hellbore load. But that makes them awfully similar to the seeker/drones that the Feds, Klings & Kzin use.  :?:
Stinger-1, 1, 3 or 6/12/0, (Fighter/5+)(Fighter/5+/Bomber/DMG-2)
Stinger-2, 1, 3 or 6/12/0, (Fighter/5+/ROF-3)(Fighter/5+/Bomber/DMG-2)
Stinger-H, 1, 3 or 6/12/0, (Fighter/5+/ROF-3)(Fighter/5+/Bomber/Piercing)
Stinger-F, 1, 3 or 6/12/0, (Fighter/5+/ROF-3)

For the ESG I think the Shockwave from Starmada X would work. Or at least be a place to start. On a similar note the Stutter Drive from ST:X would be a good starting point for the Andromedan's Displacement Device.
Now the Tholian Web on the other hand... :?:

  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 630

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Phaser-G: Why not simply a ROF 4 phaser 3?

Fusion, OK.
Hellbore is a bit difficult to reproduce, as it's supposed to kill a lot of shield. I like MRCChris version, though.

Stingers. I'd love to see a lot of fighters included for all races. It will add another important dimension to KA/RA and any subsequent modules.
But I feel they should act as squadrons of 6, and not really as a single unit. Even if their ships house less fighters.

Marc

  • Registered: 2010-05-11
  • Posts: 8

Re: SFU Starmada: Flying the other guys

Phaser-G - Typically 1 Ph-G replaces 2 Ph-3. Giving it the Range-Based ROF doubles the SU cost, keeping it in line with the SFU.

Fusion Beams - I propose the following:
Fusion Beam, 3/6/9, 1/5+/1/1, Range-Based DMG
Fusion Beam OL, 3/6/-, 1/4+/1/2, Carronade; Range-Based DMG

Hellbores - Again, I propose:
Hellbore, 5/10/15, 1/4+/1/1, Range-Based IMP
Hellbore (OL), 5/10/-, 1/4+/3/1, Carronade; Range-Based IMP

When averaged together, they come out to a SU cost of ~29, which to me sounds average. The much lower SU cost for Fusions allows them to carry more fighters.

Stingers - Single fighter elements sound like a pain. I say keep with 3 & 6, and only put Stinger H's on craft that can carry 3 of them normally.

Also been fiddling around with Andromedan TR Beams:
TR Heavy, 4/8/12, ROF 1, ACC 4+, IMP 2, DMG 2; Range-Based ROF (was also thinking of doing ROF 2, IMP 1)
TR Light, 4/8/12, ROF 1, ACC 4+, IMP 1, DMG 2; Range-Based ROF

Then Andromedan Ships themselves I'd say should be high shields (regular, not faceted), average engines, and lower than normal hulls (it was always my experience that once the shields were down, those things just disintegrated).

My $0.02CAD
-Christopher