A gaming friend of mine got upset one time when a gamer brought his WW2
battleship miniatures to play FT. He even designed the ships to have turreted
mounts similar to those BBs. I laughed and had no problem with the mini's.
Later I gave my friend a hard time by saying next time I'll bring some of my
Matchbox and Hot Wheels vehicles for FT; with a Corvette class Corvette, a
Porsche class Cruiser, a Limo class Battleship with flag bridge,
and an auto-carrier CV. He wasn't amused. We were in the game
store last Saturday and the only large selection of space ship mini's
available were from Silent Death. So I picked a bunch that didn't look too
fighterish for my newly designed fleet. He scoffed and complained that you
cannot play FT without FT mini's. I think he's a hopeless purist (and a little
anal, I told him that, too <g>). And then, AND THEN, he makes the suggestion
to use some of my SFB mini's or get some B5 mini's. Argh.
One thing I found about designed FT ships is that, after doing designing ships
for years using the more detailed Traveller design rules, they are a little,
um, lacking (I also disagree with the streamlining percentages, but that's
another issue). So I thought of putting some of the standard weapons into
groups and use them as "one" weapon and give the "new weapon" a fancy name. So
here are some of my ideas and also some ship design ideas to go along with it.
Baryon-Stutter Torpedo Launcher, mass 16, points 48, 1 arc
(4 pulse torpedo launchers). Ion Flux Emitter, mass 2, points 6, 6 arcs (2
class 1's) Ion Flux Cannon, mass 4, points 12, 3 arcs (2 class 2's) Ion Flux
Spinal Mount, mass 24, points 72, 1 arc (6 class 3's) (I dislike the current
FT "spinal mounts")
Each "weapon" will take several hits to actually destroy, but each hit would
degrade its firepower.
The Ion Flux Emitter can split its fire in anti-fighter
and anti-missile defense modes.
Game-wise, there isn't any difference but I'm adding
flavor and placing some self-imposed restrictions
when firing on targets.
I haven't look at Needle Beam yet, but something similar could be done with
that.
I'm only going to give 1 ship design idea: an assault cruiser that remains at
a distance and fires its 2 BSTLs (8 pulse torp launchers) as a fleet support
platform. A friend showed me that I needed fighter protection so mix in
some anti-fighter defenses and add 1 or two
support vessels in case a few fast ships decide to break off the main force
and take out my support ship(s).
btw, Why would anyone want 1 class 4 when you can have 2 class 3's for the
same mass and points? (so far, I'd rather have 2 class 2's than 1 class 3)
> In a message dated 6/21/99 9:49:59 AM EST, Glen.Bailey@sabre.com writes:
<< A gaming friend of mine got upset one time when a gamer brought his WW2
battleship miniatures to play FT. He even designed the ships to have turreted
mounts similar to those BBs. I laughed and had no problem with the mini's. >>
Actually some of those plastic Micro Machine ship models with some shaving
cropping Schtickin-together mods might yield some interest FT ships,
don't you think?
> Actually some of those plastic Micro Machine ship models with some
Well after getting some rather familiar looking fighters from brigade
minatures. My 2 Micro machine Star destroyers vs my Micro machine Calamari
Cruiser and Medical frigate Is looking a whole lot better:)
And on the original note. I bought the box of just counters for a game called
Distant Suns or something. Sort of strategy space empire board game...Anyway I
have just finished using the little plastic ship shaped counters to make 6
more FT cruisers and a Larger Modified cruiser. With plenty more bits in the
box.
I do like to play with Spaceship looking models but I don't go as far as. The
model must represent the item in play exactly like some well known company
does;)
> Glen Bailey wrote:
A little anal...? Try a little psycho. I believe that there is a paragraph in
the FT rules book explaining that you can use ANY BLASTED MINIATURES YOU WANT
TO!!!! Show him that paragraph and tell him to either shut up or to find
someone else to play with.
I'll say one good thing about my former FT group (we got a
brand-spanking-new one put together, and we'll will be playing our first
Fleet Book battle this coming Saturday.), they always had a sense of humor
about miniatures. I remember one 2000 point game were a player took a two WWII
battleship models and glued airplane wings to them. The sad part of it was
that these were the only two ships in his fleet.
Revell do a great range of a dozen or more 1/1200th scale WWII
battleships and carriers. They're about 6" to 8" long, waterline models with
separate gun turrets (and so are very useful for scratchbuilding). Best of
all, they sell for only £2.99 in the UK. Look out for them in blue boxes,
about 8" by 4" by 1". IIRC the range includes the Yamato and Musashi, Tirpitz,
Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, Prince of Wales and Duke of York, Missouri and an
Italian BB whose name I can't remember. For carriers they do the Yorktown and
Shinano (which is the best scratchbuilder's model for turrets).
Tony
> Phillip Atcliffe wrote:
> On Mon, 21 Jun 1999 11:08:43 -0500 "Mark A. Siefert"
On Mon, 21 Jun 1999 11:08:43 -0500 "Mark A. Siefert"
> <cthulhu@csd.uwm.edu> wrote:
> I'll say one good thing about my former FT group (we got a
What scale were they? I ask as the father of two boys who asked for
(and got) 1/350 scale battleship kits for Christmas/birthday presents
so that they could use them in DS2 games (this is called long-range
fire support! <g>). It's a continuing complaint of at least one of them
that they don't have any _scale_ ortillery batteries....
I have steadfastly refused to let the elder boy use his modified
Musashi as an upgraded Space Cruiser Yamato/Argo in FT -- not if it's
supposed to be in scale with GZG stuff (or at least until I can get my
hands on one of those 1/250th vacform Enterprise-A's -- 4 feet long!!)
Phil, glad that GCSEs and SATs have temporarily interrupted the local arms
race
Firstly your friend has a problem. Who cares what minis you use as long as
different types of ship are recogniseably different. He deffinately sounds
like GW type, YUKK!
> btw,
To mount on paper sided carriers so they can snipe from a distance whilst
fighters and heavier ships close.