The intent was to have the Launcher fire on approach, but I'm just the pilot, so Evade seemed like a plan until I could see who moved when. At a 14, it was a fair bet we'd move last, so I did not move until I knew when.
Why don't we slow down a bit. If Neap would like to move one way or another here on turn one it's a fairly easy retcon for me. I know how far my drones moves, and I can adjust as needed. We can keep other dice rolls for now, though there may be adjustments should you move out of the range of my lasers.
30 years ago? Nice to know we are of similar, uhh, vintage Chiaiese!
Hey, anyone going to Gencon this year? I'm not certain yet, but there is a pretty good chance I will be there for at least one day. I'm only two hours away.
Anton (Atlas) and I were both there, and I have not been to another Gen-Con since. I moved out to Washington 7 years ago and thought I was going to PAX Prime once, but it didn't work out. Someday...
@GM: Could we request a larger hex map for space battles?
One of the benefits of space battles is that space is kinda big. Hence, there's usually distance enough that give different tactical options that can be explored without the limitations of trees or rivers or other ground terrain.
Sure. I can see if I can find one.
Reading the section on how to repair a ship, it seems that Shields are Good. If everything else on the ship is adequate, my preliminary counsel is that we use most, if not all, of our points next level on shields.
Also, a good engineer can do a lot to keep flagging shields up.
I don't hate shields. At lower character levels, armor is better, but it doesn't take long for enemy gunners to have +15 to hit, which makes armor really expensive compared to shields.
The ship is doing what its supposed to do - take a few hits and move fast. We just need dicebot to throw us a bone and stop screwing our to-hit rolls. Right now we're losing every coin flip.
I went ahead and purchased the PDF of the official Paizo star map. It's a bit bigger, particularly top to bottom.
Only $10 + another $10 for a surprise that may be useful at the end of this book. If one of your were going to Gencon, I might have let you buy me an icy-cold Pepsi (or beer!) for this!
I moved the ships onto this bigger map, extrapolating their relative positions. You not have a little more room to use that speed.
Moved the old map to the bottom.
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Reading the section on how to repair a ship, it seems that Shields are Good. If everything else on the ship is adequate, my preliminary counsel is that we use most, if not all, of our points next level on shields.
Also, a good engineer can do a lot to keep flagging shields up.
I don't hate shields. At lower character levels, armor is better, but it doesn't take long for enemy gunners to have +15 to hit, which makes armor really expensive compared to shields.
The ship is doing what its supposed to do - take a few hits and move fast. We just need dicebot to throw us a bone and stop screwing our to-hit rolls. Right now we're losing every coin flip.
That makes sense. So you're planning a transition to shields respective to character level, yeah?
The thing that peppers my eggs though (is that a good analogy? I don't understand analogies), is that it takes cash to repair the ship, whereas shields are free. Given the eco-heavy nature of the game, it seems a bit of a bite.
Analyzing the math of what I just said, I can't really say shields are better. If I start in with the opportunity cost of the engineering action of repair shields vs. divert to engine to move more so we stay at range I'm in danger of going cross-eyed.
...If I start in with the opportunity cost of the engineering action of repair shields vs. divert to engine to move more so we stay at range I'm in danger of going cross-eyed.
Aaaand that's why I leave the shipbuilding to those with the drive. I tend to follow the A-Wing philosophy: "Missiles can't hit you if you outrun them."
Though-- Speaking of weapons... Would it be worth letting them close for the laser net? I'm holding any maneuvers that would keep us in range until there's only one left...
Aaaand that's why I leave the shipbuilding to those with the drive. I tend to follow the A-Wing philosophy: "Missiles can't hit you if you outrun them."
Though-- Speaking of weapons... Would it be worth letting them close for the laser net? I'm holding any maneuvers that would keep us in range until there's only one left...
I think Yoro would have had to have fired the Laser Net this turn. The Missiles are out of arc, and my read of the rules is that tracking weapons still follow firing arcs when they are fired.
I like your philosophy, and mine is similar but comes from a video game I remember watching my roommate play masterfully in college. His first order of business was to not get hit. He could eventually find his target if he had enough time. It's better to stay at long range and ping away with the coil guns whenever possible.
I misunderstood that Yoro was firing the missile at the farther drone. Good thinking.
Btw, GM, my remark about the colors of our ship being bad for the color blind comes from personal experience. I have a hard time telling the colors of the two enemy ships apart. For future combats, would you please consider avoiding green if possible?
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I misunderstood that Yoro was firing the missile at the farther drone. Good thinking.
Btw, GM, my remark about the colors of our ship being bad for the color blind comes from personal experience. I have a hard time telling the colors of the two enemy ships apart. For future combats, would you please consider avoiding green if possible?
Sorry I missed this comment. I changed "green" to "red". By the way, I also placed a token for the missile that is currently tracking the drone that is now known as "red".
This turn should be interesting. You're all due for a little luck.
By the way, I give you all permission to look behind the GM screen at my latest set of initiative rolls. That could be my allotment of 20's for a while...
I didn’t intend to fire at the farther ship, so no tactical insights going on here :-) I misunderstood the missile’s range, despite looking at the map on slide 2. I think this turn is correct, meaning Yoromishtali firing the laser net at the closer drone is within the rules.
I didn’t intend to fire at the farther ship, so no tactical insights going on here :-) I misunderstood the missile’s range, despite looking at the map on slide 2. I think this turn is correct, meaning Yoromishtali firing the laser net at the closer drone is within the rules.
I am happy to make your action from last turn firing the turret. If this is the case, you did not fire a missile last turn.
What I meant by Yoro having another roll is that the missile largely guides itself when it doesn't reach its target on the first turn (though you still have to make another to hit roll). This allows you to fire another weapon. This applies to the new (current) turn.
Just let me know what you prefer. You did hit with the laser on the nearby drone. If it was your choice to fire the laser, go ahead and make a damage roll in gameplay--it should be 2d6.
Here's a link on how tracking weapons work:
Starship weapons are one of two types. Direct-fire weapons fire projectiles or beams at amazing speed, targeting the opposing vessel’s AC. Tracking weapons’ projectiles are slower and must home in using a target’s TL. A tracking weapon’s projectile has a listed speed; once fired, it moves that number of hexes toward its target. Each subsequent round during the gunnery phase, it must succeed at a gunnery check against the target’s TL to continue to move its speed toward its target. On a failure, the projectile is lost. If the projectile reaches the target’s hex, it deals the listed damage.
Since there is no exception for tracking weapons in the rules, the target must be in arc when you fire, so the only viable target in the earlier turn was the farther drone. I think that would have been a good choice, since it forces that enemy to maneuver away from us or get hit. Firing missiles defensively when we're outnumbered is a good tactic.
Yes, I had assumed he was firing at the farther drone, though I now see how there could have been confusion.
Sigh. I like starship combat. But it's more fun when you're around a table and can see exactly what's going on in detail. It's also more fun when we laugh and cheer each other on.
Plus, I have some SWEET miniatures for starship combat.
Okay, let’s keep the missile attack and disregard the laser web attack. I’ll roll for this round when it’s the gunnery phase, just so that the phases are kept orderly.
I’ve only played starship combat on these boards. It’s interesting how it does seem to be a little more difficult, yet I don’t know why. People are still performing actions during their appointed time in combat (much like initiative order in “ordinary” combat), so why does this feel so different?
I agree with the feeling. I think it's because success isn't just dependent on the the whims of the dice on your build, but the interdependence.
I'm digging it, but it does have me poring over maneuvers, trying to figure out the best option.
Anton, I think you should be on a gun.
Neap can keep the one operable coilgun in arc. With Yoro on the missiles, that leaves the laser net for Anton on the turret. I can use the Demand action to give you +4 to hit next round.
In the event the ship gets upgraded (will it?), any thoughts on a buster/ripper combo with point defense and a single long-range option? I'm gathering that it's impossible to keep ships from closing, and it may be easier to just delete them the second they enter range.
I may be a little slow to update for the next couple of days. Tomorrow is my son's HS graduation party, so we are abuzz with preparations for that. I think we're also waiting for another to hit roll from Anton.
In the event the ship gets upgraded (will it?), any thoughts on a buster/ripper combo with point defense and a single long-range option? I'm gathering that it's impossible to keep ships from closing, and it may be easier to just delete them the second they enter range.
The thing that needs immediate upgrading is our dice rolls. We have more than enough firepower to have ended this fight by now if we just rolled even odds. Dicebot is starting to piss me off.
My post last night fell victim to "late night posting incoherence syndrome." Sorry that some of the usual formatting was not done.
The point of the post was an information dump on what you and your ship's sensors can make out about the settlement as you skirt around looking for a place to land. Should you make those skill checks, I think it will come together.
Also, if there was anything to do before you hit Nakondis' atmosphere, let me know.
Provided there's no opposition to Anton's locating and Neap's landing, we can handwave that, can't we?
Additionally, I'm running Neap as support for now-- Megavitamin for food needs, presumably they can create water as needed, considering the hydrobody is made out of the water in the environment, and we'll see how combat shakes out.
I'm considering options for combat... I'm not sure what might be best, but I'm sure we'll shake out all the kinks before too long.
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Apologies for the silence lately.
Our county fair starts soon and my son has several 4-H project going in, plus he's the youth member of the county 4-H board. We’re all hands on deck for the next couple of weeks to wrap up his projects, double-check everything, make our regular pilgrimages across town to the fairgrounds for volunteer slots.
Last night was food judging. He picked up his first award of the season — Reserve Champion — with a batch of Earl Grey ice cream. (Yes, that’s ice cream flavored with Earl Grey tea. It’s really wild stuff, but delicious.)
I'll keep my posts timely, but they'll probably be shorter and more direct for a while.
This mission is a blast so far!
I'm going to get on track here tonight.
Had a funeral this week (it was as good as funerals get, a 97-year old grandmother and this was not a surprise). There were other family things that went with that as well.
Just a crazy week...
My condolences. Even when death is expected and foreseen, it still hurts.
Thank you Yoro (and Thak, who sent me a message).
I will wait until tomorrow for you all to do a perception check and move up to your speed. After that, I will do the perception checks on your behalf and move this along.
There will be some advantage for you to moving down the trail, even a little.
This fog is thick but not so thick as to give them total cover? We are able to see the individuals from our distances in the back?
They do not get total cover. You can see the figures, or at least their distinct outlines. They do get the 20% miss chance against any ranged attack.
Appreciated.
Also, just for the sake of bookkeeping, did anyone take any of the five Megavitamin that were created on landing? Neap would have been offering them for every day of travel as well, but it is a bit relevant here.
Power outage at my house. No post tonight. I'll catch up tomorrow.
Waiting for Anton, then we will move on.
This is quickly coming to a head.
Neap will delay until after Yoro engages.
Neap will delay until after Yoro engages.
So noted.
I'll bot Anton if I don't see anything by tomorrow.
Just waiting for Neap and Yoro.
I was about to post and saw that I had been botted 9 minutes prior... Midnight CST, I'm guessing?
Sorry for the delay in posting, folks.
I'm getting ready for Gencon.
Let's just do this: let's have a brief pause. I have so much going on, as I am presenting a seminar in the professional track for educators and librarians. Very busy with slides.
No problem with the pause. Thanks for letting us know. Good luck with the presentation.
@Thak, I hope you and your son have fun in the Starfinder games (playing and running).
Just returned after a successful Gencon!
We will resume tomorrow (Monday).
Just waiting for Neap, Anton (& Viv!), and Yoro to take a turn and end this.
After that, the feller who came running has a story to tell you...
Out of curiosity, breaking down items and fabricating new ones— is that possible? I've not really seen any specific rate of conversion for things like that.