B5 Crusade

[omegar]

ok. picked this up in my FLGS today. read it on way home. Nearly missed my Bustop....

Lots of details on the episodes, and thats about it. there is very little extra really. and the plot hooks and scenarios are not up to the standard i would normally expect from Mongoose.

Also I think some sample room plans could have being provided for the Excailber. Very little was ever seen of the WS and yet we got a Deck plan in the Rangers book.

however i can just say that the main weapon is truly scary 500 being the minimum damage it impacts, a massive crit range and so much else. i must say that maybe the thing is underpowered in ACTA (and yes i know i am biased.)

but all in all i enjoyed it.

 

[frobisher]

Don't forget about the presence of the Excalibur's bio-adaptive shielding.

Apart from the fact it doesn't have any. You're thinking of its Crystalline Refractive Armour (which is a Minbari technology BTW, as used in their vessels). Basically, it should just have a good DR (does it, I haven't seen the book yet?).

 

[frobisher]

however i can just say that the main weapon is truly scary 500 being the minimum damage it impacts, a massive crit range and so much else. i must say that maybe the thing is underpowered in ACTA (and yes i know i am biased.)

Absolutely agree with you there - waaay underpowered but gaining the ability to actually fire more frequently than it perhaps should (1 round downtime..?!? - That's nothing!).

 

[Chobbly]

however i can just say that the main weapon is truly scary 500 being the minimum damage it impacts, a massive crit range and so much else. i must say that maybe the thing is underpowered in ACTA (and yes i know i am biased.)

Absolutely agree with you there - waaay underpowered but gaining the ability to actually fire more frequently than it perhaps should (1 round downtime..?!? - That's nothing!).

Just checked my notes, the down time should be one minute, rather than one (d20) round as printed. The ship being off-line for just one round makes the Lightning Cannon too powerful, as it would take a near-miracle for an opponent to take out the Excalibur in one round of inactivity, getting past the armour and all.

frobisher, hope you've seen the stats for the Victory Class by now so you can see what I was referring to. The armour is explained in the text there, including the description of the crystalline mesh that is mentioned in the show. Rather than a high DR, there is a set of rules to represent the ability of the armour to channel and redirect 80% of the damage away. I'd always imagined that the mesh contained some crude organic elements to it to assist in this process, hence why the special quality is described as 'bio'.

Omegar, thanks for the comments, I'm glad you liked the book overall.


Chobbly

 

[frobisher]

Just checked my notes, the down time should be one minute, rather than one (d20) round as printed. The ship being off-line for just one round makes the Lightning Cannon too powerful, as it would take a near-miracle for an opponent to take out the Excalibur in one round of inactivity, getting past the armour and all.

I was refering to the ACtA version - I haven't actually seen the Crusade book yet (so I really hope that doesn't say 1 round ).

frobisher, hope you've seen the stats for the Victory Class by now so you can see what I was referring to. The armour is explained in the text there, including the description of the crystalline mesh that is mentioned in the show. Rather than a high DR, there is a set of rules to represent the ability of the armour to channel and redirect 80% of the damage away. I'd always imagined that the mesh contained some crude organic elements to it to assist in this process, hence why the special quality is described as 'bio'.

Ah, okay. I'm coming very much from a B5Wars background where Minbari ships have armour and then some, and being Minbari this is crystalline armour. The Victory class would have been the first time human engineers got to work with this technology so it would be quite amazing to them (hence the statements about "80%"). However, this doesn't actually give you a baseline performance for (plucks a technobabblish term out of the air which isn't correct...) the Carbon Neutronium armour that the EA uses. Perhaps, that is 50% reflective? We just don't know;

Just giving it a damn good DR actually covers you quite nicely, with maybe a few rules that preclude certain weapon types that ignore DR..?

Just my tuppence's worth.

 

[TechnoLurker]

Was looking through the Crusade book the other day and noticed that Galen has 5 levels in the Destroyer class. Am I missing that from somewhere or am I just looking in the wrong place. Couldn't find that class in the Technomage book or in Crusade.

 

[Chobbly]

Was looking through the Crusade book the other day and noticed that Galen has 5 levels in the Destroyer class. Am I missing that from somewhere or am I just looking in the wrong place. Couldn't find that class in the Technomage book or in Crusade.

No problem TechnoLurker - it's in the Technomage book. The Prestige Class for the Destroyer starts on page 31.

Hope this helps,


Chobbly

 

[TechnoLurker]

Thanks. I guess I looked right past it. Saw Chimera Legari and then Great Healer.

 

[Shadow Queen]

well some years may have passed since Galen was in the book and in a call to arms

 

[Chobbly]

well some years may have passed since Galen was in the book and in a call to arms

Indeed they did, DerinaJean. Galen's stats in the Crusade book represent his abilities at the start of Crusade. Following on from his stats in the Technomage book (2258) most of his levels gained were in the Destroyer prestige class - this is necessary to facilitate some of Galen's abilities that he (would have) demonstrated in the unproduced episode 'End of the Line'. In my mind, by the time of that episode came he would have progressed even further in that prestige class.

Seeing Galen unleash the fury of the Destroyer would have become a favourite B5 moment, I'm sure of it. At least now, thanks to JMS and Fiona Avery allowing the synopses to appear, there is a glimpse at what could have been.


Chobbly

 

[Kizarvexis]

well some years may have passed since Galen was in the book and in a call to arms

Indeed they did, DerinaJean. Galen's stats in the Crusade book represent his abilities at the start of Crusade. Following on from his stats in the Technomage book (2258) most of his levels gained were in the Destroyer prestige class - this is necessary to facilitate some of Galen's abilities that he (would have) demonstrated in the unproduced episode 'End of the Line'. In my mind, by the time of that episode came he would have progressed even further in that prestige class.

Seeing Galen unleash the fury of the Destroyer would have become a favourite B5 moment, I'm sure of it. At least now, thanks to JMS and Fiona Avery allowing the synopses to appear, there is a glimpse at what could have been.


Chobbly

Actually, Galen would have been at least a 5th level Destroyer before Sheridan goes to Z'ha'dum going by what Galen does in the Passing of the Technomages Triology. Possibility even 10th, but the Greater Destruction spell should cover the damage he does in the later parts of the triology.

Kizarvexis

 

[Shadow Queen]

does anyone have the books they can lend me ? Ill take very cood care of them (Puppy dog eyes)

 

[Aramanthus]

I'm sure somebody over there in England has a copy. I"m sorking on hooking my friends on the series. :twisted: