Random Firing in Phases

Whereas I do agree with the idea firing order is a tactical choice, that makes
the game more deterministic in ways than I prefer. Simultaneous fire is good,
but it too can be said to not model reality as not all fire is simultaneous.

Instead, I plan (at some free moment....) to try random fire. Assumption: All
ships try to engage at optimum times and yet hit
before the enemy. Ergo no one admiral should have micro-control of the
situation. Nor should all the rounds fall simultaneously.

Instead, I'd propose a random initiative firing system. Roll d6 for every
vessel. Note the number. You have six firing phases. All fire in a phase is
simultaneous. Phase to phase is not. So If I have 3 DDs and a HC firing I roll
3 d6 (let's say I get 3,4,4,5). So one DD fires first, then two DDs
simultaneous, then the HC. This makes for a sort of interesting combination of
the two, and removes some of the deterministic feeling. (Chaos of Battle and
all that).

I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work, but it does mean one quick die
roll for every ship after every movement turn. But in exchange, you get a
little of the "luck" of first shot in some cases, but you also get
simultaneous fire in bigger battles. You might even
allow tactical systems quality to modify this - poor systems add 1 to
the die roll, or roll d6 ignoring 1s. Good systems could be given a -1
or roll d6s ignoring 6s. Or if you have dice lying around, do the die shift
thing (down to d4, up to d8).

On Fri, 10 Sep 1999 16:07:50 -0400, "Thomas Barclay"
> <Thomas.Barclay@sofkin.ca> wrote:

> Instead, I'd propose a random initiative firing system. Roll d6 for

I've noticed you have a penchant for this kind of mechanic, Tom! *L* Not that
there's anything WRONG with that...

For a simpler Random Fire in FT, you could simply use cards. I know, I know,
lots of people HATE this kind of thing. I personally first came across it in
the 70s when the old Wargamer's Digest published it's skirmish rules.
Individual figures were activated when their card was drawn. This is easy to
do in FT.

Each ship gets a card (the back of the cards should be identical... it would
be trivial to use playing cards). You can do this in two ways: 1) shuffle all
the ships into one deck; 2) shuffle the ships into two different decks.

The easiest way is to draw a card, and that ship gets to fire, as though it
were chosen in a regular FT game. Another option is for each player to draw a
card from their own deck (you have to use option number 2 for this) and those
two ships fire simultaneously.

Personally, I loved the random deck system when I was a kid. It added an
incredible level of excitement. But, what it gains in excitement it loses in
control and tactics. I like FT as it is because ship choice during combat is
one of the few tactical issues that players can control. I find there's enough
luck in FT as it is.

> Whereas I do agree with the idea firing order is a tactical choice,

I also prefer the use of firing as a tactical choice, and quite like the
system as it stands. However, I see no reason why this wouldn't work as an
optional rule.

[snipped IFS]