Need thoughts are star-forts for campaign system.

[TheDreadnought]

So, I need some suggestions on how build rules should work for star-forts/OWPs for the new campaign system.

[boywundyrx]

I've always thought the "spaceships without engines" style in other rule sets was pretty straightforward; one game let you build huge star-forts by separately building 6 wedges that then formed the star-fort "pie", and incoming fire across a hexside then only affected that particular wedge. Similarly each wedge could only fire out of one hexside; there might have been a special rule for a few 360 degree batteries though. My wording isn't the greatest, but I hope that conveys the idea.

One thing that would be unique, other than in High Guard, would be to let us specify the shape of the star-fort - sphere, wagon-wheel, modular, disk, "other" (box/wedge etc., not sure there'd be a difference in any of the other shapes). I'd have to think more on what the differences would be, but perhaps spheres lets you be freer with your arcs, wagon-wheel is harder to hit, etc.

Oh, and asteroid forts!

Hope this helps,
Chris

[villiam]

I think there needs to be different rules for major fortifications like Star Bases/Star Fort/etc and for small defensive weapon platforms(my mind instantly thinks missile turret).

I think Star Forts need to have the option of Flak Turrets and Marines, not just one over the other.

[TheDreadnought]

Yeah, that's a good point.

[villiam]

I am thinking just on the basis of the excel Ship builder, but what if the Star Fort became a role in the builder? Speed will be zero, give bonuses to armor, FC, DC, or whatever you decide. Have a new equipment dropdown for Flak & marines that only enables when the Star Fort role is selected.

Perhaps make it possible for the hard points to exceed the normal hull size? Maybe Hull size +1?

I want rules for Star Forts(very badly), but i feel its going to end up being one big missile platform, with perhaps some fighters. It should rarely mount other weapons cause an enemy can just stand off at range and plink away at it with missiles. This line of thinking makes me think the PD should be higher than the Hull size limit also.

[hamilton]

Base rotation, docking, and maybe even ramming rules since they are fixed platforms.
Should have great fire control and maybe let them bump d6 to d8 or d10, d10 to d12 or d20? Or just have the FC be large enough to achieve those outcomes without changing the die mechanics.
Should be able to purchase more than the 2 mine patterns allowed for a capital ship.
Large bases should have directional armor as well as shields, or something like two layers (surface and core) that protect different systems/crits.
Different crits for bridge/engine.
Stealth-type rules for asteroid installations (really just camouflage and passive systems) until they reveal themselves or screen ship gets close enough.

[warchariot]

I think they need to be able to mount other weapons than missiles, but how to do that and let them not be plinked away at. Maybe space terrain or some jamming to keep them from being locked on to? Large/more PDF?

[TheDreadnought]

What if each star fort was comprised of 6 pieces that were treated separately. One for each hex facing. I like the idea of a rotation mechanic.

[TheDreadnought]

Aug 7, 2014 11:39:39 GMT -5 villiam said:

I am thinking just on the basis of the excel Ship builder, but what if the Star Fort became a role in the builder? Speed will be zero, give bonuses to armor, FC, DC, or whatever you decide. Have a new equipment dropdown for Flak & marines that only enables when the Star Fort role is selected.

Perhaps make it possible for the hard points to exceed the normal hull size? Maybe Hull size +1?

I want rules for Star Forts(very badly), but i feel its going to end up being one big missile platform, with perhaps some fighters. It should rarely mount other weapons cause an enemy can just stand off at range and plink away at it with missiles. This line of thinking makes me think the PD should be higher than the Hull size limit also.

One of the inspirations for Colonial Battlefleet (besides BSG obviously), was The Lost Fleet. That series makes the point that fixed defenses can be very powerful. . . but are also very vulnerable to long distance kinetic kill due to their predictable orbits. I expect that will be the case in CBF as well.

Basically, you have to put the star-forts pretty much right next to the warp points for them to be effective. If you put them in orbit of a planet, the attacker will just stand off and pulverize them.

[villiam]

1. What if the games don't use a warp point? If people play Star Wars, Star Trek, or BSG with the CBF rule set, there are no warp points in those settings.

2. I need to read the Lost Fleet series, sounds very good.

3. Where in the combat order to you foresee Star Forts going? The concept of each section being treated separately is interesting.

4. I think a rotation mechanic is a good idea. But keep the F/P/S/A designations fro uniformity and the station just needs to have its F marked or designated somehow.

[kealios]

The problem with declaring that star bases are easy to hit because of their fixed orbits is that movement or relative position has no place in this game. There is nothing that makes shooting at a Size 1 ship harder than unloading on a Size 5 behemoth (Scouts notwithstanding).

Otherwise, I think the ideas presented here are quite good.

[TheDreadnought]

Actually they whole range-based to hit mechanism is based around the unpredictability of flight paths.

If you're going to hit somebody with a kinetic slug, theoretically it has unlimited range. However, against a maneuvering target it's very difficult to predict the future position of the target to successfully plot an intercept. Lasers have longer effective range than kinetics because of the faster travel speed of the beam versus a kinetic projectile. I think the rules actually specifically discuss this issue. That is why there are no "to hit" rules needed against stationary targets when doing kinetic bombardments. Star Forts are no exception.

It has nothing to do with how big or small the target is. It has to do with the fact that you can easily plot its position in the future unless it has the ability to maneuver.