Topic: Nova Marines

I do not think that the rules state if there is a shield saving throw against Marine hits.

In other threads Armor has been described as representing various things, Plates, extra bulkheads, strengthening etc.
It is my belief that Marines should cost more and only have to take living space (Hull) to capture a ship, they would then be the "ignores Armor" weapon that has been sought after.

Paul

Re: Nova Marines

The rules do not state there is not a shield save vs. marines, so yes, there is.

I would like to hear some playtest reports on marines before allowing them to "ignore" armor.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

Re: Nova Marines

Here is another question.
"Only remove a marine from the attacking ship for each hit"
Shields only get a chance to save after a "Hit" has been made so any marines that are stopped by shields are lost (removed from the attacking ship)?

Paul

Re: Nova Marines

OldnGrey wrote:

Here is another question.
"Only remove a marine from the attacking ship for each hit"
Shields only get a chance to save after a "Hit" has been made so any marines that are stopped by shields are lost (removed from the attacking ship)?
Paul

We rarely attempt boarding attacks, so I can't remember if this ever came up in playtesting.
Until we get an official interpretation, that's the way I'd play it, although this is just my preference.
I've got a sneaking suspicion that the intent of the rules is to not have marines eliminated by shields, but have them returned to their ship.

Kevin

Re: Nova Marines

The intent is that marines are not "lost" unless they successfully board the target ship.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

Re: Nova Marines

I've played a game today, Negali vsz Sssk, especially to try drones and marines. Unfortunately, drones never reach enemy ships, and Sssk ships never reach enemy ships too in order to send marines.
I would say that drones are fired in too low number to have an effect. Even a big Sssk ships would launch 3 of them. Against Negali, or any other ships with correct defenses, it just seems like a waste.
Marines seems very powerful because they can be send in any number. Why should we don't send all of them?
Of course, you need to close a lot and marines are sensible to some defenses (if I'm not mistaken), like ECM and shields.

Marc

Re: Nova Marines

madpax wrote:

I've played a game today, Negali vsz Sssk, especially to try drones and marines. Unfortunately, drones never reach enemy ships, and Sssk ships never reach enemy ships too in order to send marines.
I would say that drones are fired in too low number to have an effect. Even a big Sssk ships would launch 3 of them. Against Negali, or any other ships with correct defenses, it just seems like a waste.
Marines seems very powerful because they can be send in any number. Why should we don't send all of them?
Of course, you need to close a lot and marines are sensible to some defenses (if I'm not mistaken), like ECM and shields.

Marc

I did some testing (no games, just setting up scenarios and rolling through some attacks) and I decided to drop drones from the ships I am doing for my campaign setting in favor of seeking weapons. While the range and flexibility of drones is neat, they just didn't have the crunch-factor that I felt like they should (and you could get in the SAE rules). Fighters are limited to a degree as well, but being able to start with them on the table and then maneuver them to the best advantage makes them loads "better" than drones in my opinion.
Cheers,
Erik

Re: Nova Marines

madpax wrote:

Marines seems very powerful because they can be send in any number. Why should we don't send all of them?
Of course, you need to close a lot and marines are sensible to some defenses (if I'm not mistaken), like ECM and shields.
Marc

Our experience with marines has been exactly the opposite.
If a defending ships has even a few marines, attacking ships have to come with so many they usually can't afford to, or don't want to run the risk of losing their own.
Here are a few of things to keep in mind:

* Marines still have to eliminate armor, just as regular weapons do. And yes, I realize they start with the hull boxes before moving to the armor. I believe the only armor they "bypass" is that in the first section.

* Marines still have to get through the normal defenses of ECM and shields.

* Once the number of marines successfully boarding has been established, the defending ship can immediately sacrifice their own marines on a one for one basis to eliminate those marines.

I can't speak for everyone in my group, but I try to put marines on ships on approximately a three or four to one ratio of hull to marines. I don't carry enough to capture ships, but I try to have enough so that others might think twice before trying to capture my ships.

My thinking is that marines are probably going to be be useful in capturing small ships that don't have a lot of hull or armor to begin with, or larger ships that have already been damaged to a certain degree.
To be fair, though, we just haven't used them very much yet.

Kevin

Re: Nova Marines

underling wrote:

Our experience with marines has been exactly the opposite.

Maybe simply because we didn't face the same ships. And I have a single experience, so what I say is maybe not worth a lot.

If a defending ships has even a few marines, attacking ships have to come with so many they usually can't afford to, or don't want to run the risk of losing their own.

The enemy hadn't even one marine (it was Sssk vs Negali)

* Marines still have to eliminate armor, just as regular weapons do.

No armor in negali.

And yes, I realize they start with the hull boxes before moving to the armor. I believe the only armor they "bypass" is that in the first section.
Why only the first section?
BTW, I thought that we could try marines bypassing armor?

* Marines still have to get through the normal defenses of ECM and shields.

Agreed

* Once the number of marines successfully boarding has been established, the defending ship can immediately sacrifice their own marines on a one for one basis to eliminate those marines.

See above.

To be fair, though, we just haven't used them very much yet.

If ships are too powerful, battles end before reaching marine range (as in SFU).

Marc