• Registered: 2005-03-31
  • Posts: 54

Topic: Boarding action Q

I'm about to introduce S:X to two new players to the genre (ie sci-fi gaming) and we're doing a 'pirates in space' game where there's going to be a fair amount of boarding action. I'm a bit rusty on these rules so I re-read them and I was wondering :

1-when your boarding marines roll against defending crew (NOT marines/security teams), do they still lose a squad on a '1'? (I'd say no)

2-are the attacker/defender rolls simultaneous? (I'd say yes/hope so/should be)

3-no 'to-hit' is necessary for the boarding pods; only PEN roll (I'm 99% positive that's a yes- and I do know that the rolls are made Vs FULL shield value, not half like fighters... I did look over the FAQ!!!)

4-If I use the example provided on P.29 C.16.1; The lone boarding party that made it can fight onboard for how long/how many turns? Does it make its roll and then is considered 'spent' (regardless of the result) or gets to stay on board and make one roll every turn? (until all crew are dead)

4B-say you have 6 boarding parties and 4 security teams; In the End Phase the 6 invaders kill 2 sec teams and lose 1 party (roll of 1) while the sec team kills 1 invader and lose 1 sec team (roll of 1); then you have  4 invaders remaining, and 1 sec team - now the question is, do they go for another round of rolls in the SAME End Phase until either ALL boarders are repelled or ALL sec teams (or defending marines) are killed off; OR does the other round of fighting occurs in the FOLLOWING End Phase? (mmh I lean towards the former but it's pretty 50-50)

Thanks!

  • Registered: 2005-03-30
  • Posts: 272

Re: Boarding action Q

Last time I checked, the answers were:

1 - Yes, you always lose troops on a one.  Many people change this by house rules.

2 - Yes, it's simultaneous.

3 - Yes, you roll to hit on a 5+ just like fighters.  Or maybe not these days...I'm rusty.

4 - BPs fight until they die, either from being hit by enemy troops or rolling a one.

4B - You make one set of rolls per end phase as long as there are BPs on the ship.

Rich

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

Re: Boarding action Q

Cartman wrote:

1-when your boarding marines roll against defending crew (NOT marines/security teams), do they still lose a squad on a '1'? (I'd say no)

Yes. The BPs' roll is unchanged by the presence or absence of defending marines/SFs; the latter merely allow the defenders the chance to actively return fire.

2-are the attacker/defender rolls simultaneous? (I'd say yes/hope so/should be)

Yes.

3-no 'to-hit' is necessary for the boarding pods; only PEN roll (I'm 99% positive that's a yes- and I do know that the rolls are made Vs FULL shield value, not half like fighters... I did look over the FAQ!!!)

BPs do need to make a to-hit roll. It is 5+, just like fighters.

4-If I use the example provided on P.29 C.16.1; The lone boarding party that made it can fight onboard for how long/how many turns? Does it make its roll and then is considered 'spent' (regardless of the result) or gets to stay on board and make one roll every turn? (until all crew are dead)

BPs fight until they are eliminated, either by a roll of 1 on their own or by a roll of 5 or 6 by an opposing marine squad/SF.

Dan

4B-say you have 6 boarding parties and 4 security teams; In the End Phase the 6 invaders kill 2 sec teams and lose 1 party (roll of 1) while the sec team kills 1 invader and lose 1 sec team (roll of 1); then you have  4 invaders remaining, and 1 sec team - now the question is, do they go for another round of rolls in the SAME End Phase until either ALL boarders are repelled or ALL sec teams (or defending marines) are killed off; OR does the other round of fighting occurs in the FOLLOWING End Phase? (mmh I lean towards the former but it's pretty 50-50)

Thanks!

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2005-03-31
  • Posts: 54

Re: Boarding action Q

Ah see in the few games I was involved in where there was boarding action I can't remember for the life of me rolling to-hit. Boarding actions then must be quite difficult if you factor in the 5+ to-hit needed, scoring against full shield strength, the boarding pods being vulnerable to fighter defences/enemy fighters/regular weapons AND then try to fight Vs defending marines/sec teams.

Mind you, I don't have a problem with that because I think it should be hard to defeat an enemy vessel solely or mostly using boarding parties. I see the use of boarding parties as more like finishing up crippled ships or much smaller ones. In the "other" game (FT) the rules have been designed on purpose (and the text even says so) to also make it hard to defeat a ship with boarding actions. 

For that pirate setting however, I'll modify the rules (maybe forgo the to-hit roll) to make boarding actions easier to conduct and playtest them. ARRR A-MATIE!

  • Registered: 2005-03-30
  • Posts: 272

Re: Boarding action Q

Don't forget, though, it doesn't take very many boarding parties to ruin your day, especially if you have no Security or BPs of your own on defense.  Successful Boarding Pods also don't linger around on the table getting shot at, unlike fighters.  I like to think of them as drones with continuing damage and the ability to keep attacking till they hit, personally...

Rich

  • Registered: 2005-03-28
  • Posts: 287

Re: Boarding action Q

I agree. Any spare space on my ships get eaten up with Security teams, after a few unfortunate experiences.

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 859

Re: Boarding action Q

Yeah, security teams are a must. For 10 space you get five defensive marine teams. Not bad...