Hi. I'd mentioned recently that we had taken up Full Thrust after a long time
not playing. Last night we taught my son's friend to play. I think they'll be
wanting to play again.
My son designed his own 400 point ship (18 class 2s, a couple of 1s, two
screens, low thrust, 7 firecons (he's 12, which might explain that). His
friend and I were together, each with a 200 point ship.
How necessary is it to have scenarios for games where fleets aren't
similar in make-up, though they cost the same in points? We
didn't have any asteroids or anything for "terrain". We started with
him on one end of a ping-pong table, us on the other. If we'd
started on opposite sides (not ends), and put him in the middle of his side
and us on the ends of ours, we'd have been able to take advantage of his low
thrust. We could have figured out how to use our better thrust to stay within
36" and not 24", to take advantage of the single class 3 batteries. But that
sounds like we'd have needed a bigger playing area, or keep shifting. His
policy is to cut to 0 velocity and spin like a giant turret. The rule is you
can spin freely as long as your engine works, right?
Or are these kinds of things balanced by weapon systems we aren't using yet?
So far, we've kept to screens, beams, fire controls, and thrust. We were going
to add stuff a bit at a time, starting with simpler things. So we wanted to
add pulse torpedoes next (and damage control parties, not by simplicity, but
to try to give hurt ships another chance).
I'd love to have a single FT rulebook with the best version of each system in
it. We've got FT, MT, and FB1. I'm not sure if, when we get to fighters and
missiles, what's the best version of everything.
I'm still interested in what's in the fleet packs from GZG. I was thinking of
getting a battle squadron and a carrier group. Does that make sense? I don't
know how that compares with picking out ships individually.
thanks,
From: "Andy Skinner"
> How necessary is it to have scenarios for games where fleets aren't
In the situation you describe, the big ship is at an advantage. If you're
using NPV, it's a good idea to keep fleets similar in composition. If you're
using CPV, then it shouldn't matter, as the points value accounts for the
increased value of bigger ships (up to a
point--if you meant 400 mass rather than 400 points, then it would
probably cost more than it's actually worth). Combat Points Value can
be found on Noam's website, IIRC http://nift.firedrake.org in the
Weapons and Defenses Archive.
> The rule is you can spin freely as long as your engine works, right?
Yes, at the moment. That will almost certainly change in the next edition,
though; it is recommended that a ship at speed 0 have its normal turning
ability (thus a 30 degree turn if he's Thrust 2) rather than spinning freely.
> I'd love to have a single FT rulebook with the best version of each
So would we all. It's coming.
> I'm still interested in what's in the fleet packs from GZG. I was
I'd get two battle packs and I wouldn't get a carrier--but I don't
like fighters, so YMMV. And if you use a lot of fighters, you'll find
there's a problem with the present rules--the playtest group is
laboring to resolve this issue.
As I recall, a battle pack is a bit cheaper than picking out the ships
individually.
The way I read the maneuvering rules for the FB1 vector movement, the engines
include RCS, so if your ship has at least one movement point the ship at any
velocity could do spin like top, though whats the point when there are only
360 degrees in a circle? In
FT/MT rules (cinematic movement for FB1) a ship a
speed zero can also spin like top. I didn't read anything in the rules that
the ship (under cinematic movement) needed to have a working engine.
> >The rule is you can spin freely as long as your
> The way I read the maneuvering rules for the FB1
As currently written, yes.
> I didn't read
It does.
> --- Andy Skinner <andyskinner@rcn.com> wrote:
We set up the vast majority of our battles with the opposing fleets starting
on parallel courses in adjacent corners of the long table
edge, and use a floating/scrolling play area.
> Or are these kinds of things balanced by weapon systems we aren't
Placed marker systems like salvo missiles and Phalon plasma bolts tend to
discourage the "turret in space".
J