Micky
Banded Mongoose
amen to that... and agree with that
5th frontier war board game revival?
- Thread starter enpeze2
- Start date
Yenaldlooshi
Banded Mongoose
"Admiral Curtis Lemay"?
Well, I would not say that future planning is the whole point of the game, but rather one of its rule glitches. Unfortunately GDW used those cumbersome preplanning rules to portray the comms lag typical for the traveller universe. This contributed decisively to limited popularity of the game in those days and today.
I am quite sure a well versed board game designer (eg. Mark Simonitch or Jim Krohn from GMT) could easily design a system which perfectly simulates the comms lag of traveller without the current preplanning rules
Last edited:
Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
I really don't see how. You can only send ships out with orders, you can't change those orders without sending a courier backwards and forward.
When you arrive at the destination system any intelligence you have about it is at least a fortnight out of date, probably longer.
When you arrive at the destination system any intelligence you have about it is at least a fortnight out of date, probably longer.
I agree with Sigtrygg
Our society has become accustomed to instantaneous communications. This is very natural for humans, it allows for control and understanding. Every child clamors for 'now'. Every parent is happy they can reach out to their child anywhere, anytime.
We spent a lot of time and resources getting to that stage.
Its not something we want to willingly give up.
Most video and board games give us an omniscient view of the game. We control fleets in real time on opposite sides of the galaxy, with full knowledge of what is happening to each fleet. We control multiple individuals, and choose their reactions with full knowledge of what we are going to choose for the other one. Cheats that turn off fog of war are some of the most popular cheats in video games.
The time lag that jump rules force upon a Traveller goes against all that we've worked for, and grown accustomed to. Its not popular, for very good reason.
If we want it to be accurate, its going to be uncomfortable, and unpleasant. By definition. Trying to make it comfortable, or smooth, is literally going against the point of the jump rules. It would definitely be more popular, but it wouldnt be accurate.
Given that, i fail to see how we could have a set of rules that doesnt feel uncomfortable and annoying, without giving up one of the core assumptions of the setting.
Our society has become accustomed to instantaneous communications. This is very natural for humans, it allows for control and understanding. Every child clamors for 'now'. Every parent is happy they can reach out to their child anywhere, anytime.
We spent a lot of time and resources getting to that stage.
Its not something we want to willingly give up.
Most video and board games give us an omniscient view of the game. We control fleets in real time on opposite sides of the galaxy, with full knowledge of what is happening to each fleet. We control multiple individuals, and choose their reactions with full knowledge of what we are going to choose for the other one. Cheats that turn off fog of war are some of the most popular cheats in video games.
The time lag that jump rules force upon a Traveller goes against all that we've worked for, and grown accustomed to. Its not popular, for very good reason.
If we want it to be accurate, its going to be uncomfortable, and unpleasant. By definition. Trying to make it comfortable, or smooth, is literally going against the point of the jump rules. It would definitely be more popular, but it wouldnt be accurate.
Given that, i fail to see how we could have a set of rules that doesnt feel uncomfortable and annoying, without giving up one of the core assumptions of the setting.
I've played a number of historical wargames with messenger based communications, but the best ones involved a referee. It's pretty nerve wracking committing your army to battle with the foe without knowing for sure your orders to the other players on your team were actually followed in the way you meant and they were coming to join you in a timely fashion. Especially without knowing for sure where the rest of your opponents' team was. A lot of fun, but nerve wracking.
Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
Imagine a game of FFW with three game boards and a referee.
You know what your fleets have been ordered to do, the referee is the only reveals what happens after a few turns of comm lag.
A sector admiralty actually has no control beyond sending assets to certain subsectors and then allowing local commanders to make their own decisions.
You know what your fleets have been ordered to do, the referee is the only reveals what happens after a few turns of comm lag.
A sector admiralty actually has no control beyond sending assets to certain subsectors and then allowing local commanders to make their own decisions.
GabrielGABFonseca
Cosmic Mongoose
A play-by-mail version of this is something I've long dreamt of getting off the ground, but that most annoying of things, real life, keeps getting on the way.
A small Subsector Fleet-scale wargame, with each Squadron being commanded by a player, so there's around five players a side and the referee administering the scenario. Obviously not doable as a board game, but perfect for Play-by-Mail.
Talon Greyfeather
Mongoose
One of my favorite games and still on my shelfSounds like Flat Top in space to me
Flat Top
Challenging simulation of WWII carrier battles in the Pacific, circa 1942.boardgamegeek.com
Peleliu
Banded Mongoose
Ditto. Has anyone noted that the original Battleline version was published in 1977?
I wonder what other games were published that year...?
