CT Only: Starship combat
- Thread starter nats
- Start date
High Guard has some balance issues with small ships so I did a hybrid that essentially grafted the Book 2 computer software rules onto High Guard and re-balanced the damage a bit. This would be unwieldy for conflicts on the scale of TCS but it works quite well for the sort of scale a typical party of adventurers works at.
Basically, the house rules went:
Basically, the house rules went:
- Number to hit from the tables in High Guard.
- For movement, I used the hex map system from Mayday. Close range was anything under 10 hexes (100,000km).
- Computer bonuses were from the software stats in Book 2, but using agility rather than manouevre. As HG doesn't have phasing, the full capacity of the computer is used with the CPU capacity being the maximum software that can be applied to attack, manoeuvre or defence. The software pack was essentially built into the computer as an avionics package rather than a suite of programs bought individually.
- Made larger weapons (2t, 3t barbettes) with bonuses to damage rolls and battery factor, and pimped the damage bonuses of bay weapons significantly, making a 2t or 3t turret battery or bay weapon a sensible main armament for a mid-size warship.
- Higher tech versions of low-factor spinal mounts that were in the size range for comparatively 'small' ships - Capital ships in this 'verse were about 5,000-15,000 tons and credible mid-size warships about 1,500-3,000.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Where to start...
for role playing starship combat then I use a modified version of the combat system found in the ship's boat skill description.
If I want to show relative movement then I use the Starter Edition range band system but use polar graph paper.
PC ships are usually fully detailed using FF&S so when they are hit I can use a hit location/damage system adapted from Brilliant Lances/Battle Rider.
Major NPC ships get this level of resolution too - for minor NPC ships then the LBB2 damage tables are as good as anything for quick and dirty resolution.
If ship combat is going to be the main theme of the evening and I want a more tactical game then it is out with the hex maps and I use vector movement.
If I'm doing a full on operational level fleet vs fleet game then I use a modified version of Star Cruiser for sensor cat and mouse/sub hunt and then switch scales once ships are in each others weapon resolution range and go to a range band system, with vector movement an option if we want that level of detail.
for role playing starship combat then I use a modified version of the combat system found in the ship's boat skill description.
If I want to show relative movement then I use the Starter Edition range band system but use polar graph paper.
PC ships are usually fully detailed using FF&S so when they are hit I can use a hit location/damage system adapted from Brilliant Lances/Battle Rider.
Major NPC ships get this level of resolution too - for minor NPC ships then the LBB2 damage tables are as good as anything for quick and dirty resolution.
If ship combat is going to be the main theme of the evening and I want a more tactical game then it is out with the hex maps and I use vector movement.
If I'm doing a full on operational level fleet vs fleet game then I use a modified version of Star Cruiser for sensor cat and mouse/sub hunt and then switch scales once ships are in each others weapon resolution range and go to a range band system, with vector movement an option if we want that level of detail.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
For movement I use the Book 2 version on a maneuvering board:
This works well with small ship actions where there are no more than 3 or 4 ships present (the norm for me). It makes it easy to account for gravitational acceleration when near planets and produces ranges and speed vectors almost instantly.
Damage is homegrown. I really dislike the idea that ships get hit and broad portions of their systems are damaged immediately. I prefer something more akin to Fletcher Pratt's Naval Wargame with critical hits added.
This works well with small ship actions where there are no more than 3 or 4 ships present (the norm for me). It makes it easy to account for gravitational acceleration when near planets and produces ranges and speed vectors almost instantly.
Damage is homegrown. I really dislike the idea that ships get hit and broad portions of their systems are damaged immediately. I prefer something more akin to Fletcher Pratt's Naval Wargame with critical hits added.
I'm still not clear on how to use the board.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
That's what I call polar graph paper above
Now this sounds interesting...
anymore details?
I have looked at Mongoose Victory at Sea...
Currently I am using A combination of Mayday, Book2 and Special Supplement 3. As it stands Mayday donates it's movement system and simplified Computer rule and the rest is pretty much pure Book 2.
With a added Evasion rule 1g of thrust is traded for the pilot's skill as a negative to Hit DM, additional Gs of thrust can be traded off on a 1 for on 1 basis to add to the pilots effective skill.
Sand is cumulative per hex, in that if a triple turret sand turret deploys all it's sand into one hex face it is -3 for the 1st and additional -1 per tube.
With a added Evasion rule 1g of thrust is traded for the pilot's skill as a negative to Hit DM, additional Gs of thrust can be traded off on a 1 for on 1 basis to add to the pilots effective skill.
Sand is cumulative per hex, in that if a triple turret sand turret deploys all it's sand into one hex face it is -3 for the 1st and additional -1 per tube.
You raise something I've always wondered about.
Is Sand cumulative in its effect?
I can see arguments both ways, and many canon sources aren't clear as to the game effect (i.e. is it cumulative if you have enough sandcasters to plaster the incoming with multiple sand layers?)
nats
SOC-12
In space nothing would ever stop it dispersing so once the sand is blasted out is will keep dispersing forever, albeit moving on the same trajectory as the ship. It would surely only take a few turns for the sand to become so dispersed it would add nothing to defense. I could definitely see its only defensive usefulness would be when first fired.
The DM in Book 2 is -3 per 25mm. So there it is kinda.
Mayday it's a binary either you are in a sand cloud or you aren't, But the rules assume single mounts.
In High Guard, there is escalating effect with the number of Tubes firing.
I noticed I didn't mention the mechanism I use for sand. Sorry.
Sand produces in counter of effect per tube fired, said counters are placed in the one of the 6 surrounding hexes with the sand affecting all fire and movement passing through that hex. Sand disperses at a rate of 1 counter per turn per hex.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
The "Mo Board" has the advantage over polar graph paper of having speed and range scale nomograms already on it. You can simply change the units to something that works in Traveller scales to use the board. Instead of yards and knots use kilometers or tens of thousands of kilometers. Things still work out.
Here's a printable version:
http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_62&pubCode=0008
A maneuvering board instruction manual can be purchased for about $10 to $15 dollars from many book sellers. There's probably a version on line somewhere.
They aren't hard to use once you know how. A pair of dividers (or compass) and a parallel ruler help but aren't totally necessary.
Here's a printable version:
http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_62&pubCode=0008
A maneuvering board instruction manual can be purchased for about $10 to $15 dollars from many book sellers. There's probably a version on line somewhere.
They aren't hard to use once you know how. A pair of dividers (or compass) and a parallel ruler help but aren't totally necessary.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
I posted "other" as I avoid it like the bubonic plague. My scenarios are designed to avoid space combat at all costs. If someone wants to fight with starships, I recommend either Warp War, if they can find a copy, or Imperium (the GDW game).
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
I agree to a point. I prefer that the only space battles between ships are ones between the party's vessel (owned or one they are riding on) and whatever bad guys or government law enforcement, etc., are after them.
These are usually small ships, limited numbers, and usually end with something like the player's ship jumping to get away or hiding in a gas giant... That sort of thing.
Big naval battles in space? Not a part of my Traveller.
