• Registered: 2011-04-23
  • Posts: 31

Topic: Reintegrating Command

As an option for reintegrating Command, I came up with this idea.  I'm not sure how to cost it.  I'm rather tired, and thinking about this around finals, so this is just framework, if that much.

The idea is based on several combat systems which give "special orders" to vessels.  These special orders, in Starmada, can include Damage Control, Long Shot, Evasive Maneuvers, etc.  The idea is that the player declares an order for the ship (at the point where you would customarily declare the option, like at the start of that ship's Combat activation for Damage Control), and then takes the cost (suffering damage, losing Combat actions, etc.), but then it has to make a roll.  Roll d6 plus the Command rating.

If the roll succeeds (I lean towards 5+ for success, but I'm ready to hear other options), then you reap the benefits.  If not, you suffer the cost but don't reap the benefits.  This would obviously make the special moves a bit more risky (which might be problem for already-risky moves, like Damage Control - you might want to revise that for this system), but it would provide Command vessels the feature you'd expect them to have, that being the ability to finesse the battlefield.

I have more ideas for it (including new options), but I'm too brain-fuzzed to get them out right now.

  • Registered: 2011-09-26
  • Posts: 21

Re: Reintegrating Command

Interesting.  As written, It sounds rather close to the system used in Battlefleet Gothic.

  • Registered: 2011-04-23
  • Posts: 31

Re: Reintegrating Command

That is one of the basis ideas.  I essentially took the parts of orders systems that I thought worked well and left those that were setting specific, overly invasive, or just not fun.

Also, solution for Damage Control:  Instead of making a single Command roll to activate Damage Control, make one in place of every repair roll.  A roll of 5+ will fix one grade of Thrust, Shields, etc.  A roll of 6+ fixes a system.

Also, another idea for an Order (which could be used as a normal rule by removing the Command roll):  Active Point Defense.  Immediately after making a Shield roll, you may opt to suffer one point of Shield damage and then make a Command roll.  On a success, you may reroll every failed Shield die once.

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

Re: Reintegrating Command

Do you know A Call to Arms?
First, it was published with the Babylon 5 universe and now with SFB. It's a very good system (but I prefer Starmada) and one of its feature is the special action. Before moving a ship, the player declares some special action (or nothing) for the ship.
Some SA need die roll to succeed, others are automatic but if you earn something, you lose something else.
SA allows you to turn quicker, fire with greater effectiveness, accelerate more, repair more, etc.
In the end, it looks like what you are proposing, and that's something I feel is lacking with Starmada and that could add some more tactical flavour.

Marc

  • Registered: 2006-01-17
  • Posts: 740

Re: Reintegrating Command

This idea is intreaguing.  There is something like it in BattleFleet Gothic; it is one of that game's few redeaming qualities...

  • Registered: 2011-04-23
  • Posts: 31

Re: Reintegrating Command

I always like risk management in games, especially wargames.  I'm rather tickled with the idea of paying the cost and then seeing if you get your desired result.  I have no doubt but this takes some serious work before it actually works, but this is a start.

I'm also trying to figure out how to cost in Command.  I don't think it should have an SU requirement, so it'll be entirely encased in ORAT/DRAT.

There's also a lot of possibility for setting-specific rules integrated through Command.  For instance, in a setting based on the Marathon games, immediately prior to making a jump a ship with Hyperdrive ("folding drive" in the language of the setting) might make a Command roll to make a microjump.  If successful, they end up where they want and in the facing they want.  Failure means either that they scatter (and possibly explode if they hit something) or that they flee (and thus are "half destroyed") or that the jump fails and is wasted (remove the jump token).  The cost is either risking leaving the battle entirely or the fact that they cannot apply any Thrust on the round they attempt this (indeed, this cost applies either way to some extent) - they're stuck with their current trajectory (though, if the roll is successful, they may choose their facing and thus which way their speed takes them).

This allows you to integrate a lot of new functionality to old systems without heavily modifying the systems directly - you incorporate new Command functions, meaning that the cost is implicit in the Command cost rather than in the system cost (actually, shared a little between both).