I thought I`d share some ideas I`ve been using for forts, and see what
comments I would receve <G>.
Forts are built just like non-FTL spaceships, except they don`t have a
normal drive system. Instead, they have a station keeping drive at a mass of
2%, which incudes poweerplants and allows the fort to change it`s facing by
60 deg per 3 turns (ie-can change it`s facing very slowly). Forts can be
towed by tugs (note-more than 1 tug can be used, due to some forts being
BIG), in which case, the station keeping drive provides no bonus to thrust
avalible, and no turning.
The second idea is a bit more difficult to balance (ok, it probably doesn`t).
Asteroid forts, are built just like normal forts, except that you only pay the
basic hull cost on the equipment added, and the armour comes for free, in the
form of the asteroids massive body (can only be basic armour, as used by the
human ships, no multi layer armour, like fitted to the PH). The costs of
actually towing the asteroid to the initial position you wish is payed for by
the material you mine out of the asteroid to construct the
fort/base.
The only difference from the normal construction rules would be that the
armour (which comes for free) is only 1 pt per 2 mass (it may be massive, but
it`s not as good as a high tech laminate).
This is what we used.
First, decide the number of, and size of, asteroids used (and it is only
posible in a system with asteroids, of course).
Roll 1D6. A 1-3 is a small asteroid (mass=1D6x10), 4 and 5 is a medium
sized asteroid (mass=1D6x100), and a 6 is a large asteroid (mass=1D6x1000). If
you wish, if you roll a 6, roll 2 more die, and if you get a 6 on both, you
have found a HUGE asteroid (like ceries (?), which is 400 miles in length!)
that
masses 2D6x10, 000 (?!?). Note- the hugh asteroid was only allowed in
the
home system of the player, and was used as the main base/shipyard of the
player. It was also posible to join several asteroids togeter, to make a
larger base/fort (upto 6). If several are joined together, use a D6 to
determine which is hit, and if you so want, only 1 part of the joined base has
to mount the station keeping drive or sheild.
Example- we roll a 4, giving us a medium asteroid, and roll anoughter 4,
giving it a mass of 400.
Second- we need to decide how much of the asteroid we are going to
hollow/mine out to fit weapons/hangers/equipment. The remainder left is
the armour (for free) of the asteroid divided by 2.
Example-We decide to hollw out 240 mass of our asteroid, which will be
the basic hull cost, and gives us 80 pts of armour.
Third- THIS IS INPORTANT. The mass of the station keeping drive and
sheilds (if fitted) is equal to the ORIGINAL mass of the asteroid, not the
mass of
the equipment added/space hollowed out.
Example- Our asteroid need a station keeping drive of 8 mass/16 cost,
and
has level 2 screens, of 40 mass/120 cost.
Then you continue as normal construction rules.
Example-Our asteroid will cost 376 plus weapons/equipment, and has a
mass of
196 left for weapons/equipment, with 80 pts of armour.
If you think these are too powerful, they are supposed to be HARD, and they
also represent a lot of cost tied up in one object/unit (for the larger
ones anyway). It also helps if you are playing some form of campain system,
that you also include a time required to build these asteroid forts (which
cannot be asembled in pieces, and have to be built in the system they are
defending).
Bif:
> Asteroid forts, are built just like normal forts, except that you only
So I could have Armor=500 if I felt like it? Also, I don't see why you're
disallowing layered armor. I'd think that "layered" would better represent the
"30 meters of rock" approach.
> Third- THIS IS INPORTANT. The mass of the station keeping drive and
Quibble: you mean "a percentage of" rather than "equal to"
to the ORIGINAL mass of the asteroid, not the mass of
> the equipment added/space hollowed out.
[quoted original message omitted]
> Forts are built just like non-FTL spaceships, except they don`t have a
Just for simplicity's sake, I'd say that they must pay for MD1 for
station-keeping, power generation, etc.
I'd also say that you can set virtually any rotation on the base that you
like, but it cannot be changed during the course of a game.
> The second idea is a bit more difficult to balance (ok, it probably
You're right on that one.
> Asteroid forts, are built just like normal forts, except that you only
OK, here's some ideas for attempting to get this monster closer to the realm
of the balanced:
1) Armor may be free, but hollowing ISN'T. Pay 2 NPV per MASS excavated.
2) The free armor is 4 MASS per point of protection (I feel that even 2 or 3
is too low).
3) The MD1 is based on the original MASS of the un-hollowed asteroid.
Then, following your example:
Initial Asteroid = 400 MASS Hollow out 240 MASS, costing 480 NPV This leaves
160 MASS, which translates to 40 Armor (much more reasonable) MD1 costs 20
MASS, 40 NPV Leaving 220 MASS free for other systems.
The cost is over 500 NPV and I didn't include the screens you did. Sounds
better to me.
[quoted original message omitted]
> I agree with the second, but the first changes them from a stationary
Oh, I'm not saying that the "MD1" makes it mobile. On the contrary, it ONLY
keeps it in place and generates power. I just used the term so it would be
easy to understand the MASS necessary.
> On Tue, Oct 02, 2001 at 11:31:54AM +0100, Bif Smith wrote:
> Asteroid forts, are built just like normal forts, except that you only
Here I have a problem. For a campaign, where points = cost to build, then it
(or some of the alternatives that have been mentioned) makes sense; but
for a one-off game, where points should reflect game utility, it feels
too much like trying to get something for nothing.
Is it time, perhaps, to separate "build cost" and "points"?
I once saw this system where the vessel was divided into seperate vessels
(such as in the case of a Star Destroyer (that thing was HUGE)). Each of
these sub-section had to be wiped out before the vessel was destroyed
fully. This reflected the fact that these things are massive, so a hit in the
Fore arc would hit the Fore section of the hull, instead of just the hull.
Hence you could punch out the Fore section without damaging the rest of the
station. However, now there is a nice big weak point, begging to have missile
shoved into it.
Instead of a mass-keeping drive (and allowing stations to move around),
how
about a secondary reactor that powers the station-keeping equipment as
well as life support, weapons etc etc. Maybe at the same mass rate of a MD,
but without the MD abilities. Besides, if the MD system goes down (due to
threshold) the station will start to fall out of orbit.
Space stations would also be able to equip more advanced ECM systems to
combat missiles, as well as if you have a mass-300 station, it should
have a LOT of PDS, for its size. If you don't protect a big asset like a
station, then you deserve to have it blown up.
Derek & Beth: Once I get my station model, we should organise for some
playtesting of these rules...
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