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mj12games.com/forum → Starmada → Low-tech, low point
I was flipping through the Bourbaki Basin and I noticed that there were a bunch of really really big ships, and at least one very small chip.
It got me thinking about playing styles.
I know we've discussed the ogre-like battles and balance issues out the wazoo, but has anyone ever tried to play a game or better yet a campaign, where all the ships were under, say 40-50 points With no more than a couple hundred points on the board?
We tried it once, and once the ships got into close proximity..... everyone went down fast. It's one of the reasons that we have been experimenting with the rules that I posted in the new equipment threads. I meant to just post about the torpedoes.... but the rest just sort of came out.
John
No.
I mean, I like big ships with loads of weapons and shields that rival Dahak. Little ships with teeny weeny weapons don't appeal to me. If it can't deal out at least four hull damage a turn, I don't want it...:)
But to be fair, its kinda rooted in me regarding ship classifications and hull points. A ship with 12 hull is a heavy cruiser, a ship with 20 hulls is a dreadnought, a ship with 1 hull is a patrol boat or attack boat and so on.
However, I could try and do small ships...
There were some size 16 ships in there.... however, once you got into close range, they went down quite quickly.... Low tech ships require some different thinking.... for one thing, don't expect blistering speeds, and the second, fighters do a number on them.
John
I know it is totally subjective, based on what feels right for whatever "universe" you are playing in but here is my take on the size of ships and what I consider them to be.
Ancillary ships, Escorts, Corvettes, Frigates, etc.= Hull 1-3
Destroyers = Hull 4-6
Cruisers = Hull 6-10
Battleships = Hull 10+
As the tech in a given campaign increases, so too do the hull sizes. I might start out with a low tech Hull 4 destroyer but after several years, I'm building hull 6 destroyers.
If you want decidedly low tech ships, one good way I have found is to mod the S:X sheet to allow for TL -3. *That* definitely lets you build very low tech ships. They aren't very good, and they cut corners to get any weapons or equipment worth anything.
I haven't had a chance to game with any of the results of my fiddling, but it would certainly be interesting.
Of course, most of the ships I design tend to be TL -2. No heavy-duty weapons for me!
-Tyrel
I know it is totally subjective, based on what feels right for whatever "universe" you are playing in but here is my take on the size of ships and what I consider them to be.
Ancillary ships, Escorts, Corvettes, Frigates, etc.= Hull 1-3
Destroyers = Hull 4-6
Cruisers = Hull 6-10
Battleships = Hull 10+
I've not done this in Starmada, but I always like things broke down by Tech level.....
Corvette = Hull 1 @ TL -2, Hull 2 @ TL 0, Hull 3 @ TL 2
Escort = Hull 2-3 @ TL-2, Hull 3-4 @ TL 0, Hull 4-5 @ TL 2
Frigate = Hull 3-5 @ TL-2, Hull 4-6 @ TL 0, Hull 5-7 @ TL 2
Light Cruiser = Hull 5-7 @ TL-2, Hull 6-8 @ TL 0 Hull 7-9 @ TL 2
Cruiser = Hull 7-9 @ TL-2, Hull 8-10 @ TL 0 Hull 9-11 @ TL 2
Dreadnought = Hull 8-10 @ TL-2, Hull 9-11 @ TL 0 Hull 10-12 @ TL 2
Battleship = Hull 9-11 @ TL-2, Hull 10-12 @ TL 0 Hull 11-13 @ TL 2
Mobile Fortress = Hull 10-12 @ TL-2, Hull 11-13 @ TL 0 Hull 12-14 @ TL 2
...or something similiar.....
If you want decidedly low tech ships, one good way I have found is to mod the S:X sheet to allow for TL -3. *That* definitely lets you build very low tech ships. -Tyrel
Well, pearing into the formula for the tech level SU mods can be quite interesting. The basic calculation is something like this:
SU mod = sqrt(2^-TL) or (2^-TL)^(1/2)
So, this sets the normal level at 0, the range of change at 2 and the factor of change at 2. If you re-write the equation as:
Factor ^ -( TL - Normal ) ^ ( 1 / Range )
Now you can easily change the tech level SU mods to any values that feel appropriate for your "universe". If you want the same rate and factor of change but think the TLs should run from 1 to 5 (normal = 3) rather than -2 to +2, the use:
2 ^ -( TL - 3 ) ^ ( 1 / 2 )
If you want 9 tech levels (lvls 1-9) with the lowest being four times as massive as the norm (halfway through at TL5), use:
4 ^ -( TL - 5 ) ^ ( 1 / 4 )
mj12games.com/forum → Starmada → Low-tech, low point
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