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

Topic: Scenario Generator

Working on this for another project, realized it might be easily cross-fit to Starmada. In need of feedback/playtesting.

STARMADA SCENARIO GENERATOR

Step 1: PICK YOUR FLEET. No restrictions here. You choose one fleet list, your opponent chooses another.

Step 2: DETERMINE SCENARIO SIZE. This is done either by mutual agreement, or randomly:

1) Very Small: 500 pts.
2) Small: 700 pts.
3) Medium: 900 pts.
4) Large: 1100 pts.
5) Very Large: 1300 pts.
6) Epic: 1500 pts.

The number is the base fleet limit for the scenario.

Step 3: PLACE BIDS. Each player secretly bids a certain amount of points. The winner gets to choose whether to be the attacker or the defender for the scenario. The attacker is defined as the more aggressive side, regardless of the overall strategic situation, and will receive an average of 30% more ships.

Step 4: DETERMINE ATTACKER'S ADVANTAGE. Roll two dice. The LOWER result indicates the attacker's point advantage:

1) Slight: +10% (120%)
2) ???: +20% (150%)
3) Strong: +35% (180%)
4) ???: +45% (210%)
5) ???: +60% (260%)
6) Overwhelming: +75% (310%)

The number in parentheses is the defender's VP Multiplier (see below).

Step 5: CHOOSE YOUR SHIPS. The fleet limit for each side is determined as follows:

* Attacker: (Fleet Limit - Bid Amount) + Advantage Bonus
* Defender: Fleet Limit - Bid Amount

Step 6: DETERMINE BREAK POINTS. Once fleet compositions have been determined, total the number of ships on each side, and multiply by 2. This is the side's "break point".

Step 7: PLAY THE GAME. Whenever a ship is destroyed, roll one die, and add the result to a running total for that side. Whenever one side's running total equals or exceeds its break point, the game ends.

Step 8: DETERMINE THE WINNER. Each side now totals the VPs scored for ships damaged, crippled, and destroyed. Damaged ships are worth 25%; crippled ships are worth 50%; destroyed ships are worth 100%. Apply the VP Multiplier to the defender's total.

EXAMPLE:

1) Dan and Kevin are playing a game. Dan chooses the Imperial Starmada; Kevin is playing the Kalaedinese Expanse.

2) One die is rolled, coming up 4; this indicates a Large scenario (1100 pts.).

3) Dan bids 50 points; Kevin bids 75. Kevin wins, and elects to be the attacker.

4) Two dice are rolled, coming up 3 and 5. This indicates a Strong attacker's advantage, which gives Kevin a bonus of +35% and Dan a VP Multiplier of 180%.

5) Kevin's fleet limit is 1386 ((1100 - 75) + 35%). Dan's fleet limit is 1050 (1100 - 50).

6) Kevin's fleet consists of 8 ships. Dan's fleet consists of 6 ships. Kevin's break point is 16; Dan's break point is 12.

7) The game is played. Kevin loses 2 ships, and has a loss total of 8 (5 + 3). Dan loses 4 ships, with a loss total of 15 (3 + 4 + 4 + 4). Dan's fleet has reached its break point, and the game ends.

8) Kevin has scored a total of 621 VPs. In order to win, Dan must have scored at least 346 points (346 x 1.80 = 623).

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 654

Re: Scenario Generator

cricket wrote:

Working on this for another project, realized it might be easily cross-fit to Starmada.

Haven't you been warned about working on things other than Starmada? :evil:
Just kidding. This looks like an interesting "Free Form" scenario generator for pickup games. I personally like defined missions/goals for a scenario, but I can see a place for this in Starmada. The "Bid" process adds an interesting bit of pre-game gamesmenship. 
I particularly like the "Break Point" component, which seems like it could even be a stand-alone addition to games even if you don't use this scenario generator. After a couple of quick read throughs it seems like it would be easy enough to modify the final break point number to include fleet morale (the better the morale the less likely to "break"). Could be a way to squeeze in a command modifier somewhere as well.
Overall, it looks like an interesting optional alternative to the standard way of doing business. I'm hoping to get some games in this weekend and I think I'll try this system and let you know how it goes.
Cheers,
Erik

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

Re: Scenario Generator

Blacklancer99 wrote:

I particularly like the "Break Point" component, which seems like it could even be a stand-alone addition to games even if you don't use this scenario generator. After a couple of quick read throughs it seems like it would be easy enough to modify the final break point number to include fleet morale (the better the morale the less likely to "break"). Could be a way to squeeze in a command modifier somewhere as well.

Yes, I agree. However, "breaking" has nothing to do with winning or losing... only with when the game ends. Your fleet might "break" before your opponent, but if you scored more VPs, you win the scenario.

If the breakpoint was to play a role in winning/losing, we'd have to come up with some point-costing implications.

For now, I was actually thinking of combining both player's fleets into a single number: e.g. if I have 7 ships and you have 5, the scenario breakpoint is 24.

Blacklancer99 wrote:

I personally like defined missions/goals for a scenario

Speaking of, one thing I didn't include because it's not complete yet is the idea of defender objectives. Each objective would alter the way in which the defender gains VPs, and subsequently changes his VP modifier.

For example, if a defender has the "breakout" objective, he gains VPs for destroying enemy ships and for exiting his own ships off the attacker's edge. This would factor the VP modifier by 50% -- thus, if Dan had the "breakout" objective in the above example, he will need to have scored 692 VPs (71 more than Kevin!) in order to claim victory (692 x 1.80 x 0.50 = 622).

Other ideas for defender objectives:

* Hit & Run: double the VP value for damaged/crippled ships, but score VPs for destroyed ships normally. (x70%)

* Delaying Action: Beginning on turn 2, the defender can exit one (and only one) ship off his own board edge during each Movement Phase. Every ship exited in this manner awards the defender 50% of its combat rating. The attacker still receives VPs for having damaged or crippled escaping ships. (x80%)

* Others?

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 654

Re: Scenario Generator

cricket wrote:

Yes, I agree. However, "breaking" has nothing to do with winning or losing... only with when the game ends. Your fleet might "break" before your opponent, but if you scored more VPs, you win the scenario.

If the breakpoint was to play a role in winning/losing, we'd have to come up with some point-costing implications.

I wasn't necessarily implying that the break-point would change the victory conditions, but rather keep your fleet fighting longer. Theoretically, a fleet could decide to bug out, but achieve victory, but a fleet with higher morale might also stay in the fight longer leading to the possibility of a different outcome. Also, a fleet could have better morale, fight longer/harder, and still lose but inflict greater damage on a foe...a particular benefit if you are playing some kind of campaign where damaging and crippling ships has an effect or value beyond the bounds of a particular scenario.




cricket wrote:

Speaking of, one thing I didn't include because it's not complete yet is the idea of defender objectives. Each objective would alter the way in which the defender gains VPs, and subsequently changes his VP modifier.

For example, if a defender has the "breakout" objective, he gains VPs for destroying enemy ships and for exiting his own ships off the attacker's edge. This would factor the VP modifier by 50% -- thus, if Dan had the "breakout" objective in the above example, he will need to have scored 692 VPs (71 more than Kevin!) in order to claim victory (692 x 1.80 x 0.50 = 622).

Other ideas for defender objectives:

* Hit & Run: double the VP value for damaged/crippled ships, but score VPs for destroyed ships normally. (x70%)

* Delaying Action: Beginning on turn 2, the defender can exit one (and only one) ship off his own board edge during each Movement Phase. Every ship exited in this manner awards the defender 50% of its combat rating. The attacker still receives VPs for having damaged or crippled escaping ships. (x80%)

* Others?

I'm glad you are thinking in terms of objectives, to me they really spice things up.
Most of my objective ideas are too complicated for this type of elegant system  smile  I have yet to write any them down, but a few I have tried out are scenarios based on Auxiliary systems. ie where the defender had to protect cargo ships trying to get to the far side of the board while the enemy tries to destroy them; The defender gets VPs for Cargo SUs that survive, the attacker for Cargo SUs destroyed. Also tried an "Evacuation" scenario where transport ships had to start in planetary orbit in the center of the map, and remove (X) number of Transport. Other defending ships had to be within 6 hexes of the planet and the attackers held the Edge that the transports had to cross to survive. VPs were based on Transport SUs that survived or were destroyed.
Cheers,
Erik

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

Re: Scenario Generator

Blacklancer99 wrote:

I'm glad you are thinking in terms of objectives, to me they really spice things up.
Most of my objective ideas are too complicated for this type of elegant system  smile  I have yet to write any them down, but a few I have tried out are scenarios based on Auxiliary systems. ie where the defender had to protect cargo ships trying to get to the far side of the board while the enemy tries to destroy them; The defender gets VPs for Cargo SUs that survive, the attacker for Cargo SUs destroyed. Also tried an "Evacuation" scenario where transport ships had to start in planetary orbit in the center of the map, and remove (X) number of Transport. Other defending ships had to be within 6 hexes of the planet and the attackers held the Edge that the transports had to cross to survive. VPs were based on Transport SUs that survived or were destroyed.

Two things that are important for this particular system:

1) The objectives should not depend upon a player having specific types of ship in his/her fleet (e.g. cargo, transport, etc.) since the intent is to only determine objective AFTER fleets have been selected.

2) I prefer objectives that have a percentage effect on VPs, rather than adding or subtracting a set number of VPs, so there's no need to change/scale the objective based on the size of the battle.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 654

Re: Scenario Generator

cricket wrote:

1) The objectives should not depend upon a player having specific types of ship in his/her fleet (e.g. cargo, transport, etc.) since the intent is to only determine objective AFTER fleets have been selected.

2) I prefer objectives that have a percentage effect on VPs, rather than adding or subtracting a set number of VPs, so there's no need to change/scale the objective based on the size of the battle.

I did mention that I over-complicate everything, right  wink  I can't suggest anything simple if I am threatened with a gun and have all afternoon to think about it! Thank goodness for people like you though, or people like me would have a real rough go of it  :cry:
I look forward to whatever more comes of this.
Cheers,
Erik

  • Registered: 2010-10-21
  • Posts: 55

Re: Scenario Generator

Serious potential, especially if tied to a random terrain or event table.  I do like the idea of fleet morale and like the "sudden death" break point.  Historically, many naval engagements ended this way.