I honestly think the best thing to do this turn to run. If they do a 180 then they can only move 6 and if they come about it will end up about the same, maybe worse. We cannot line up any arc when we move first as we have no idea where they will be. And with our current crew I am not sure we will ever have 3 gunners. Still not sure who is doing what. And I am now lost about how the new space combat system is gonna work. And I worry that the proposed changes favor the other ship design. Not intentionally of course but the outcome will be the same. lol.
Space combat will be run as written going forward. System is clunky and will be painfully slow in pbp, but I've not got the mental patience or stamina at present to construct a unilateral fix.
Will at least mean everyone is clear on the process. I'll try and make the combat entries as clear as possible so active phases are bold, and will highlight characters yet to act (at whatever phase their current role allows). Once PC has acted (say engineering or whatnot) I'll remove their bolding so they know to "stand down" from mechanic/action posts until cycle/opportunity returns.
If Space Combat ultimately becomes a chew - I'll just hand waive all encounters as descriptive passages and we can get back to a more flowing game.
Edit: Re: Current Crew Roles - those are listed on the campaign page. What people focus on is essentially their choice. If Startoad wants to alternate between Engineering and Gunnery I've no problem, as long as it's clear. Up to you guys to tell me whose filling which role.
You can switch between roles (or assume a role if you don’t already have one), but this change must occur at the start of a round before the engineering phase. You can switch to the captain or pilot role only if that role would otherwise be vacant (or if the character in that role is unable to take actions).
Got it. What were Ed's and Startoad's actions in the first round? And what is planning to do the second round? I have already piloted.
Last round I gave you encouragement, Noahtoo. I don't think Startoad took an action.
Sorry Galactic Master, I don't know the rules well enough to tell what you were modifying. I've yet to see an RPG that handled ship combat with PCs well. I think we're on the right track, just have to get our roles down.
I think the GM rolling the weathergauge/stargauge/initiative/whatever each round and then having us all call our actions is fine. Then break them out in order based on phases. Seems like it'll just be Noahtoo piloting, Ed being quasi-helpful, and the rest shooting for now. Startoad may need to repair something or boost the engines at some point, but not a lot of options at the moment.
Just to speed things up. Nipper is only going to act in the gunnery phase. He'll man the main turret, unless we need the flak to prevent a torpedo and no one else can fire the second weapon.
Honestly, it might run cleaner if we can't switch roles mid fight and can only swap hats between conflicts.
Cool - am starting to clear my feet a little at work, so should be better placed to press on later today/tomorrow latest.
@Nipper: Agree, but the only issue with that might be where we don't have a "key" seat covered - like say Engineering.
Bear in mind I'm also cool with the ship's AI D.A.W.N being asked to function a role. If we had little astro-droids she could handle engineering or whatnot.
Food for thought as you end up with options to upgrade the Maiden.
@All: Re- Gunnery. Don't feel "constrained" by a gunnery station being linked to weapons array. My logic is any of the gunnery stations can action a weapons array (in my head I always default to Han & Luke on manning the Falcon's turrets - while reality is they could probably be accessed via any role's consoles).
(that being said turret/gunnery stations being "pew-pew" seats are cool lol)
Regards Manoeuvring (if you plan to fight) that torpedo may acquire a TL in the Gunnery Phase... if it does you really need that Flak Thrower to be in range (5 Hexes) and in Arc.
My read is that it needs to be in arc but not in range of the ship. It's not firing on the ship. It's firing on the torpedo as the torpedo closes. Its basically an Agis fire control system on a modern destroyer. It kills missiles and drones right before they hit.
Agree Noah - other than it is a short range weapon so won't activate until within 5 Hexes.
Who's up? Just Startoad? Haven't seen him since mid-July.
He posted last week so I'm not unduly worried - I'll move things along presently :)
My bad for holding things up, didn’t think I had anything to add during gunnery.
Not at all Startoad - I'm the one holding things up at the moment. Busy days and stymied posts!
Seems like starship combat was supposed to be something fast paced and anxiety inducing at a table. But in pbp it seems like a huge pain like others have eluded to.
I cant think of many options that make it better without removing player automomy. :(
Agree - am honestly close to handwaving all the starship encounters as its frankly a pain in the backside to run and govern.
As for an alternative... Not sure. I've yet to find anything that will allow us a chance to complete Starship encounters in the same way standard encounters are governed.
All I know for sure is current system isn't working and its draining my enthusiasm massively.
Interested to hear what everyone thinks before I wrap up this encounter
Could.. alternatively use other "challenges" for the crew to complete that replaces starship combat.. ie holodeck style stuff where we end up fighting a dinosaur or having to solve a strange problem that's time sensitive. Would all be.. illusionary of course and succeeding means success in the starship fight or failure etc...
I guess I would relate it to Picards encounters with Q ..
Would let you run something fun and creative without us losing the encounter totally.. i dunno!
This specific encounter works out like this. We win initiative a little more than half the time. When we do Noah will fly around to their back side where they cannot return fire and we try to fire through their rear shield.
When the enemy wins initiative they can fire at us but we cal also fire at them. So without a lot of bad luck (missing both shots in a round.) we win - but all that means is that we make them run off. Since they are faster than us we cannot chase them down.
I think the phases bog down the action. Just have everyone state their action and order them based on phase.
Can't move the ship until after pilot init. Can't know what guns we are shooting until after the piloting phase. Can't do engineering until you know the results of the gunnery phase.
I don't know what a gunner is going to switch to and engineering goes first anyway. Whatever needs to be worked out is better than everyone just waiting and wondering who's going to go. I give license to the GM to work it out.
Roll init and everyone give an action. I'm optimistic that it will all work out.
Gang, just a heads up that my posting might be erratic this week. Got a bunch of RL stuff that is stymieing my creative flow and has frankly ground me down mentally...
I’m still missing my boy terribly, and while we’ve discussed getting another rescue pup of late, a sense of “replacement guilt” has weighed on me heavily. Additionally while gym's reopen in a week’s time here in Scotland, but it's been a long time coming, and that lack of “iron therapy” has been acutely felt of late in my mental wellbeing.
Lastly, but not least, I often set myself up as a defacto union rep in my workplace. Lately there’s been some issues that have put me at loggerheads with upper-management, whilst trying to do right by co-workers and the small team I’m responsible for. Sleepless nights and frustration has ensued, which has also contributed to my headspace being less than stellar.
I’ve taken Friday off, to bookend a bank holiday this weekend. Hoping to use the time to recharge and deload. If my posting is off, or I go awol for a day or three hope you’ll understand why in light of above.
Thanks ahead of time for your collective patience and understanding.
Gary/BD
PS - We'll get this Space Combat sorted!
RL happens. Recharge and we will be here when you are ready to roll.
I miss the gym too. Walking a lot but it's not the same. I have moved during the pandemic and do not have a new gym yet. And prices are much higher here than where I lived before. Unsure what I will do yet.
Folks - appreciate the patience. Still not fully back into the swing of it on the boards, so this sojourn/break in the action might last a week or so longer. Summoning the creative energy to run the game has been the biggest hurdle of late, but am getting there.
Ultimately am hoping to get things back underway - will try and nail down a satisfactory resolution to the ship rules, but I'll use the "paused" time to nail this down.
Meantime hope you're all keeping well :)
I am well. It's good to hear from you. Take what time you need. I will be here when you are ready to resume.