Beginner needs

[da_gras]

So I walked by the local games shop and saw the "A call to arms" Box from the window. As a big fan of the best SF series ever, I couldn't resist and bought it.

Meanwhile I learned, that I have bought the 1ed. While not having played a single game yet, I am much willing to change that.

And now, the questions:

When upgrading to 2ed, do I need to get the Sky full of stars sheets or will the sheets from 1ed do it? Do I need to get Armageddon as well or will 2ed Rulebook and Fleetbook do it?

And eh.. well... I need ships, I tend to start with EA 3 Age and Narn. I saw Ben offering some Narn, will drop him a PM, soon. The only EA I could find are on Ebay and at IWM. The prices are a bit high. So if anyone would like to sell some of his ships, feel free to contact me.

Glad to have found yet another hobby.

 

[katadder]

you just need the 2e books (rules and fleets). getting hold of SFOS counters is useful though as well as it provides some of the ships you wouldnt have counters for as well as additional ones to what you get in the box set

 

[AdrianH]

The Sky Full Of Stars counter sheet includes more types of ships, although still not the full 2e range. It also has the advantage that the counters are numbered. When you've played a game or two with the basic counters from the boxed set, had three similar ships in combat with the enemy and can't remember which is the one that took the "Engines disabled" critical, you'll appreciate that. (Even the fighters are numbered!)

2e is the latest edition. If you get that, you won't need Armageddon. What you can do is watch out for the "Powers and Principalities" rules update. (A pre-release playtest pack, which will give you some idea of what to expect, can be found here.)

 

[H]

guys, someone have the decency to at least advise, the game is being discontinued!

you have a few months of support and IW ships my friend, then you will be looking at a player suported game. However, a few glaring issues aside, it's still well worth playing

 

[katadder]

true, there is that too. plus you can get cheaper fleets from some of the people on here selling them (i believe hiff has some narn still for sale and i have some brakiri, drakh,gaim

 

[Chandler]

If you can't find EA and decide you want another fleet I have a LOAD of Dilgar that I am willing to sell. They're all unpainted and un made as well and I have every type of Dilgar ship!

 

[Digger]

I would find a local player from the list and ask if you can join them for a game first before spending huge wodges of cash on ships and a game that won't be around/supported within 6 months. :x

 

[No. 1 Bear]

Try and find some opponents and most importantly have fun.

 

[da_gras]

Thanks for the many answers.

I do know, that the game will stop in a few month, but as a BloodBowl player one does not expectt a company behind its own products. I don't know how I could miss this game for so many years. As a fan of the series I have no choice but to follow the path laid in front of me.
I will try to get some of my friends into this game. At least one of them is very open to new table top games. The player locator showed noone living near me. So I have to find my own players.

Is there a huge difference in gameplay between 1ed and 2ed?

 

[H]

well, their are changes to the order of movement on fighters, 90% of shiops were re-statted (eg the addition of Anti Fighter trait, and the removal of antifighter guns), and broken things were "fixed" bringing in a whole new raft of broken things. Whole change in the BEam Mechanic, stealth, new fleets and ships (Gaim Fleet, New Brakiri, Armageddon level vessels etc)
BUT, none of that matters, if you have 1st ed, play 1st ed and enjoy it, don't worry about 2nd ed, neither version is going to get official support anyway, so play what you have.

 

[No. 1 Bear]

Id say 2nd eds a little simpler but not by much.

Overall both are very similar systems. Just watch out for a couple of problems like the SFOS white star.

 

[Burger]

If you're interested in ship sheets then LBH's site has the original and SFOS sheets. Mine only has the SFOS "tournament pack", Armageddon and 2nd ed sheets.

 

[Da Boss]

Thanks for the many answers.

I do know, that the game will stop in a few month, but as a BloodBowl player one does not expectt a company behind its own products. I don't know how I could miss this game for so many years. As a fan of the series I have no choice but to follow the path laid in front of me.
I will try to get some of my friends into this game. At least one of them is very open to new table top games. The player locator showed noone living near me. So I have to find my own players.

Is there a huge difference in gameplay between 1ed and 2ed?

In general I think 2nd edition is a better game - there are some problems - beams for me personally is a little too random.

Is also worth checking out this site:

http://babylon-5-acta.forumotion.net/forum.htm

It may well be worth trying out counter fleets if you can to see what sort of style suits you best as each has its own strengths (and weaknesses) - unless you had a fav from the show.................

welcome and enjoy!

 

[AdrianH]

Download Signs & Portents issue 64, in which a few alternative beam systems which were originally discussed on this forum have now become official. Option B, alias Triggy's Beam System, is probably the best, although there's a misprint in the Signs & Portents article - you should keep rolling when you get a 5 or 6.

I agree about using counters first. Even if there is a fleet from the show which you think you'll like, try it with counters first before investing cash in models. (Of course, with new miniatures being expensive now and unavailable later, which fleet you'll buy may be dictated by what you can actually find second hand!)

 

[Da Boss]

Download Signs & Portents issue 64, in which a few alternative beam systems which were originally discussed on this forum have now become official. Option B, alias Triggy's Beam System, is probably the best, although there's a misprint in the Signs & Portents article - you should keep rolling when you get a 5 or 6.

and/or use the handy House Rules (draft) compilation below

 

[Burger]

Although those options all refer to 2nd ed... they wouldn't work for 1st, especially pre-SFOS.

 

[Da Boss]

Very true - although arguably you don't need the fixes to the beam system in 1st ed - just the problem with low hull ships being hammered by them?

 

[lastbesthope]

If you're interested in ship sheets then LBH's site has the original and SFOS sheets. Mine only has the SFOS "tournament pack", Armageddon and 2nd ed sheets.

Indeed, ther links below will take you to allthe 1E versions of the ship sheets, assuming the BT server hasn't mucked them up.

LBH

EDIT, you're probably better following my accolades link below and finding the links to the different version zip files in that post.

 

[AdrianH]

To answer the question of differences between 1e and 2e a bit more:

In 1e, beams are less destructive, partly because of the different mechanism and partly because they have fewer dice - for example, a Sharlin's main beam is 2AD. In 2e, the mechanism allows a greater chance of re-rolls to score more hits, and the Sharlin's main beam is 8AD.

In 1e, fighters are more destructive because they have precise weapons, so are more likely to score criticals. In 2e, they don't.

Which means if you want scary fighters, stick with 1e; if you want scary beams, get 2e.

 

[H]

it does depend on which version opf 1st eddition it is! there were many changes just throughout that one addition with supplements 1, 2, 3, then the tourney fleet lists, then SFOS. The Emine went from uber weapon of doom to a way to tickle fighter pilots