• Registered: 2007-01-13
  • Posts: 33

Topic: Babylon 5 - Starmada X

Hi all.

I've currently been working up my own Babylon 5 Stats into Starmada. I do appreciate the work that others have done in this regard but I've disagreed with some core elements of both of the B5 conversions I've seen so far.

So I'm doing this primarily for my own purposes - and so far have come up with SX stats for only the major races and the most common variants.

I think my main area of disagreement with some of the stats I've seen comes from trying to follow the B5W stats to the letter. For instance I notice that some of the younger race ships have higher tech levels...

My main idea has been to approximate the relative ship strengths more than follow the B5W stats to the letter.

I disagree with the use of higher tech levels for the younger races I've seen in the conversion that's posted here: In mine most of the younger races (League, Earth, Narn) have tech levels of 0 across the board - the slightly more advanced races (Centauri, or Warlock era Earth) may have 1 or 2 at level 1 - the more advanced races (Minbari) will have straight 1s and only the elder races like the Shadows and Vorlons, or ships that use their tech (White Star, Shadomega) will have 2's.

Is this  something anyone else would be interested in looking at?

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

Re: Babylon 5 - Starmada X

Hello from NE Fla.!

I am definitely interested in Your conversions of Babylon 5 ships.  I like the idea of making playable designs that reflect the flavor of the different races & their ships and does not obsession on individual weapons.  Although I now play using the Compendium rules, I have made Minbari ships that were very brutal when compared to the human designs used in the Earth-minbari war. 
(It was easy to see why the Earth forces were losing using the designs I had made...)

Steven Gilchrist; Jacksonville, Fla, USA

  • Registered: 2007-01-13
  • Posts: 33

Re: Babylon 5 - Starmada X

I'll see about finding places to post what I have so far. I have enough to start but it's far from complete.

I figure they're somewhat fluid - I may make adjustments once I've played them a few times, but like you said, my aim was exactly to make the ships "feel" right without worrying too much about the specifics of the B5W stats.

The one thing I did do, which it seems neither of the existing conversions have done is to keep the existing "Shields" rule in place but using it to represent armor instead of shields. So I'm assuming a shot that makes it's to-hit roll, and then fails it's PEN roll has connected with it's target but has basically scratched the armor and hasn't done any real structural damage to the target.

The tech levels I think are the most important thing and that was my big turn-off from the conversion that's posted here. Tech levels are a great built-in system that lets you show one race being more advanced than another and it seemed a shame to just throw that capability away.

So, keeping the baseline at 0 let's me have slightly advanced Centauri and more advanced Minbari with ships that are better (cost more points) at the same hull size than the equivalent EA or Narn ships (for instance).

My White Star for instance has a hull size of 9 and costs nearly double the points to field compared with the G'Quan at 15 or the Omega at 16.

  • Registered: 2007-01-13
  • Posts: 33

Re: Babylon 5 - Starmada X

I have some ships done for all four of the major races if anyone is curious.

I attempted to post them on the grouip, but there was insufficient room.

I've broken them into groups and attached one of them, for Narn and Centauri to this message. I also have another for EA and Minbari if anyone is curious about those.

I also feel the need to point out that I mean absolutely no disrespect of any kind to anybody who worked on the other B5 conversion that's here (or the one posted to the group). I worked this up because it fit my interpretation of B5 and my playstyle and if anyone else finds it useful, that's just gravy.

I'll also point out that these are not yet complete. I primarily have most of the more notable ships from each race done and in all but a couple of cases only one variant for any given ship.

Thanks,

Joe

  • Registered: 2007-01-13
  • Posts: 33

Re: Babylon 5 - Starmada X

And here's the Earth/Minbari.

None of these are set in stone, especially the Minbari. I've just found a few ships I may want to make a few more tweaks on looking through them again, but I figure I'll play them a little to see if they "feel" right in game before making any more changes.

I see at least one download so far. Feedback?

  • Registered: 2007-01-13
  • Posts: 33

Re: Babylon 5 - Starmada X

Any comments?

There's been a fair number of downloads so I know that somebody's seen them. Comments could help me make these existing ships better and also will be helpful when I start branching out to other races.

Thanks,

  • Registered: 2007-03-30
  • Posts: 39

Re: Babylon 5 - Starmada X

I just bought Starmada primarily to play B5 fleets.  I own several fleets of the AOG Fleet Action minis B5W rules (v1 & v2) and many supplements & playtested several products for the old AOG.

I started looking through your material and it looks good, but I noticed that my designs diverged a bit.  If you don't mind a Starmada noob, I would be glad to colaborate efforts with you.

In the meantime I'm slowly progressing through the EA, my first conversion, then comparing with yours -- just to see what our different visions are.