Robot Ship Rules
=================
These rules relate to SIMPLE robot ships for solo play and are adapted from
the SFB training manual. The robot ship has a designated target ship for which
these rules apply.
1) The robot ship moves at its targets current speed every turn. The robot
ship will will try to fire every weapon every turn.
2) The robot ship fill follow the target ship like a seeking weapon and will
move after it has, it will attempt to close the range to the target ship. The
robot ship will move to enable the maximum number of active weapons to bear on
the target ship.
3) The robot ship will fire every weapon that can bear and is in range of the
target ship. If the robot ship has effective weapons e.g. sub-munitions
that cannot bear, it will turn to allow these weapons to bear and then obey
2)
4) The robot ship will not leave the game area or take a course that would
leave the game area
5) If the robot ship has missiles it will fire one at the target ship on every
turn it is in effective range
6) If the robot ship has fighters it will launch one squadron at the target
ship on every turn it is in effective range. Fighters then behave as robot
ships.
7) At the end of each turn the non expendable weapons on a robot ship are
re-loaded and ready to fire. If the robot ship has multi-turn arming
weapons it will fire them at the maximum rate allowed if the target ship is in
range & arc.
8) The robot ship will obey any other additional rules as the player sees fit
e.g. Sensor scans, Damage Control...
> At 09:40 20/02/97 GMT, you wrote:
What would be good, therefore, is to allow a robot ship to change it's
target ship if and when appropriate - how about this..
0) The Target ship is defined as the nearest ship in the forward or rear arc
of the robot ship OR the most recent target ship if no ship is in either arc.
That gives it a sort of attacking focus, but also allows it to react to people
trying to get into it's rear arc.
> 1) The robot ship moves at its targets current speed every turn.
in FT you need to define this in terms of points and numbers of turns, I
suppose. Better to say that is the targets speed is greater than it's it will
accelerate to it's targets speed or by as much is possible.And so for
deceleration.
> 2) The robot ship fill follow the target ship like a seeking weapon and
The
> robot ship will move to enable the maximum number of active weapons to
How about this also - the robot ship will not move into the targets
ships forward firing arc. If the move causes it to do so, it will attempt to
'veer' into the nearest p/s arc instead.
If you hgave this rule, it's still possible to get the robot ship into your
forward arc (where, lets's be honest, all the nasty pointy things are) but you
have to move so it doesn't have a choice.
I've seen decision trees similar to this used for computer wargames (there was
a mac aircraft one, can't remember what it was called..) and while on
paper they look OK they tend to produce unsatisfying opponents - they
tend to 'spiral in' on you and you can beat them too easily. You can build a
certian amount of tactical awareness into the robot with a few simple rule
additions - i.e. 'don't make any move which would leave you staring at
your opponents nova cannon barrel with a plaintive grin'.
TTFN
Jon
> I've seen decision trees similar to this used for computer wargames
You could make closing limits for the Robot (do not come closer than
10",
or something like that), or have the Robot periodically veer off, or attempt
to go for your aft or a particular side only and maintain that itself in that
arc.
Alternatively make the Robot a Kra'Vak... ;-)
Mk
In article <009B029A.9F3A753C.9@uk.gdscorp.com>, timj@uk.gdscorp.com writes
> Robot Ship Rules
For solo play, I use a system similar to the one used in the X-Wing/Tie
fighter games(ie, where a ship is given a target, and an order to follow.
These orders are fairly basic, ie Attack, Defend/Escort, Patrol,
Board/Capture, and the target does not have to be the ship that is
attacked, but could be, for example, the ship to be escorted when using
a Defend/Escort order.
How the programmed ship actually responds these orders is decided using dice
rolls and common sense. Basically, put yourself in the position of
the Captain/A.I./whatever in charge of the ship, write down a few
options available, and assign dice throws to them.
For example, a destroyer has orders to defend an unarmed civilian space
station. Two frigates are approaching. The orders could be as follows
D6 1 - Approach frigates, do not fire until attacked.
2,3,4 - Spread fire evenly between both attackers.
5 - Concentrate fire on frigate A.
6 - Concentrate fire on frigate B.
Though this is more complex and time consuming than a rigidly programmed
enemy, it makes your enemy less predictable and gives a better game.
Hope this is of some use to you.
TTFN.