You can see our first unveiling of Blue Shift, plus some hints about the Reality Tech Storm universe, on Planet Mongoose;
http://blog.mongoosepublishing.co.uk/?cat=15
http://blog.mongoosepublishing.co.uk/?cat=15
Blue Shift Unveiled
- Thread starter MongooseMatt
- Start date
Dave Chase
Mongoose
Looks interesting.
I really like the customizing of the miniatures.
Car Wars Meets Space Dog Fighting?
Dave Chase
I really like the customizing of the miniatures.
Car Wars Meets Space Dog Fighting?
Dave Chase
Hmm....intriguing. Have always been a fan of dogfight games as a setting, so this is interesting.
Like the customizable hardpoints - will be interested to see to what extent (if any) the models allow you to remove and change weapons, or if you're more or less stuck with what you paint the model up with.
Fighters having unique critical tables is nice: it certainly helps the feel of the game if there's no 'hit points' score - whilst I can see non-essential structural damage to something the size of a Noble Armada destroyer, there isn't physically enough there on a fighter for a damaging hit not to strike something important.
Always liked the idea of a dogfight game where one of the missions was a dogfight occuring between two duelling capital ships. Played Starlancer too much, I guess.
Like the customizable hardpoints - will be interested to see to what extent (if any) the models allow you to remove and change weapons, or if you're more or less stuck with what you paint the model up with.
Fighters having unique critical tables is nice: it certainly helps the feel of the game if there's no 'hit points' score - whilst I can see non-essential structural damage to something the size of a Noble Armada destroyer, there isn't physically enough there on a fighter for a damaging hit not to strike something important.
Always liked the idea of a dogfight game where one of the missions was a dogfight occuring between two duelling capital ships. Played Starlancer too much, I guess.
Traveller-61
Mongoose
Reminds me of the old "Interceptor" game from the Renegade Legion series (and that is a good thing 
) and the addition of campaign rules rather than just a random series of battles is most interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing more!
DW
) and the addition of campaign rules rather than just a random series of battles is most interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing more!DW
Dave Chase
Mongoose
Curiousity questions
Another favorite game of mine is Ronin: Duels and Ronin: War, in which you customize your mechs and it also had very special hard points on the figures that used magnets to hold on the weapons and other equipment.
You would buy equipment packs which would have random weapons and equipment for both sides in it.
Will this game's weapon packs be random pieces or set pack style?
Will there be clan/political sides/faction weapons that are primarily used by one group?
How will the weapons (and other equipment?) attach to the miniature (Figther frame)? Can they be unattached easily for making changes? (Or will the pieces work well using contact/rubber glue to hold and remove them from the main fighter frame?)
Are there limits to the size of the groups/squadrons? If so, what are they based on, points, leadership ability of the ace/leader, something else?
Will there be rules for;
Landing on other ships/outpost/etc?
Space hazards like gravity, debris, space mines, automated defenses?
Group movement or only solo miniature movement?
3D or just 2D positioning?
Ace's or fighter pilot stats?
Thanks in advance for any information you can tell us?
Dave Chase
Another favorite game of mine is Ronin: Duels and Ronin: War, in which you customize your mechs and it also had very special hard points on the figures that used magnets to hold on the weapons and other equipment.
You would buy equipment packs which would have random weapons and equipment for both sides in it.
Will this game's weapon packs be random pieces or set pack style?
Will there be clan/political sides/faction weapons that are primarily used by one group?
How will the weapons (and other equipment?) attach to the miniature (Figther frame)? Can they be unattached easily for making changes? (Or will the pieces work well using contact/rubber glue to hold and remove them from the main fighter frame?)
Are there limits to the size of the groups/squadrons? If so, what are they based on, points, leadership ability of the ace/leader, something else?
Will there be rules for;
Landing on other ships/outpost/etc?
Space hazards like gravity, debris, space mines, automated defenses?
Group movement or only solo miniature movement?
3D or just 2D positioning?
Ace's or fighter pilot stats?
Thanks in advance for any information you can tell us?
Dave Chase
Greg Smith
Mongoose
Probably. There's a lot in it that is similar to ACTA.
Not surprising - it works. I recall a couple of attempts to make an ACTA detailed fighter combat version on the forums in the B5 era...
The key thing will be how initiative/shooting works; playing silly buggers with initiative sinks is something that you don't get in Noble Armada compared to ACTA:B5 - but that's due in no small part to turret and broadside-arc mounted guns being the norm.
Fighters will (I assume) be mostly about forward firepower - so initiative sinks can come right back with a vengeance. Having played Man'O'War for comparison, consider (if you haven't) making each activation move-and-shoot in one go - so if you can line up on a target, you know you'll get to shoot at it.
Oh, I hope not. 3D rarely adds to the feel of the game compared to the annoyance of tracking it. Aeronautica gets it about right but has the advantage of the special bases. Just allow targets to disengage through the 'top' and 'bottom' of the map and arrive as reserves from same and it more or less works.
A lot of questions! I'll answer what I can...
1. Weapons Packs will be set styles, not random.
2. No clans/factions in the basic game as such - you will play a mercenary or pirate squadron and have relatively free access to equipment (for a price). However, in the background of the game, you will see factions lurking that may come to light if players are interested.
3. Weapons come in one of five hardpoint types, and simply plug in - your choice to glue them or use something more temporary.
4. No real limit to the size of squadrons, but there will be limits to what you can field at any one time.
5. Rules for questions; Landing: No. Hazards: Yes. Solo Move only. It is set in space, so 2D only needed. Yup, pilots can become aces and start doing special stuff
6. The game could conceivably be used in other fighter arenas. I would look to WWII at first, but you never know...
7. Initiative - this is the big one Ostensibly, it looks similar to CTA but what changes everything is your ability to force an enemy to move in place of one of your models, if conditions are met. For example, tailing someone and being on their 'six' allows you to force them to move first. The presence of recon pods on fighters and other special things also allows it. How you handle initiative will be _very_ important in this game and just because you outnumber the enemy does not mean you will automatically force him to play his hand before you. Tactics are rewarded, not numbers - in an extreme case, you might find you outnumber the enemy 3 to 1, and yet be forced to move _all_ of your fighters before he touches any one of his... Turn structure has changed as well, but we'll get on to that at a later date...
1. Weapons Packs will be set styles, not random.
2. No clans/factions in the basic game as such - you will play a mercenary or pirate squadron and have relatively free access to equipment (for a price). However, in the background of the game, you will see factions lurking that may come to light if players are interested.
3. Weapons come in one of five hardpoint types, and simply plug in - your choice to glue them or use something more temporary.
4. No real limit to the size of squadrons, but there will be limits to what you can field at any one time.
5. Rules for questions; Landing: No. Hazards: Yes. Solo Move only. It is set in space, so 2D only needed. Yup, pilots can become aces and start doing special stuff
6. The game could conceivably be used in other fighter arenas. I would look to WWII at first, but you never know...
7. Initiative - this is the big one
Ostensibly, it looks similar to CTA but what changes everything is your ability to force an enemy to move in place of one of your models, if conditions are met. For example, tailing someone and being on their 'six' allows you to force them to move first. The presence of recon pods on fighters and other special things also allows it. How you handle initiative will be _very_ important in this game and just because you outnumber the enemy does not mean you will automatically force him to play his hand before you. Tactics are rewarded, not numbers - in an extreme case, you might find you outnumber the enemy 3 to 1, and yet be forced to move _all_ of your fighters before he touches any one of his... Turn structure has changed as well, but we'll get on to that at a later date...nekomata fuyu
Mongoose
Next question, after considering what I've read so far... You're after my money again aren't you? 
Seriously though, I'm looking forward to this game.
With it being space combat, are you planning to have a system that can cope with B5 style dogfight manouvers? Or will it still be more like classical atmospheric dogfighting?
Seriously though, I'm looking forward to this game.
With it being space combat, are you planning to have a system that can cope with B5 style dogfight manouvers? Or will it still be more like classical atmospheric dogfighting?
nekomata fuyu said:
In this game, we are leaning more towards the latter, though there is no reason a later version/different universe could not handle B5 (and, actually, with the scale we have chosen for the models, that would be really funky
).However, we are heading in this current direction because a) I am more of a Star Wars man (!) and b) if altitude rules come anywhere near this system, we _will_ do WWII...
Style being what? "Missile weapons" or something?
Sounds quite a bit like the Star Wolves RTS - which is a good thing as I loved that game.
Depends how likely one is to want to chop-and-change armaments, which is a function of the game rules. It'd probably be good to be able to do so.
2D only is good. As noted, it makes it a damn sight easier to play.
Code:
6. The game could conceivably be used in other fighter arenas. I would look to WWII at first, but you never know...Nice touch. I think. As ever, the devil is in the details, but it sounds interesting.
For that matter, there's no reason it needs to be a different universe. One thing I remember from the first Babylon 5 fleet game I ever played (from the Earthforce Sourcebook) was the way it had two sets of movement rules - one for races with gravity tech (accelerate/decelerate and turn) and one for reaction drive (vector move not nailed to your current heading). Neither was inherently 'better' - the centauri used reaction drives with a flobbertijillion points of thrust whilst the (fan-made) brakiri had grav drives that didn't change speed especially fast but could change course without having to stop first. It made for very different tactics between different fleets...
Running through SG1 myself at the moment. Deathgliders are awesome.
locarno24 said:
Haven't decided yet - we are still adding weapons and equipment
That's one of the nice things about ACTA - it's easy to 'tweak'. Swap 'hull' (difficulty of punching through armour) for 'evasion' (Difficulty of hitting the buggers) and do something about initiative (which it sounds like they have) and its pretty much good to go as is.
Dave Chase
Mongoose
Playtesters?
Solo mission play?
Price range of the starter box/set, weapons/accesories packs, individual fighters?
(Of if you don't have set price yet, can you give us a range give or take a bit)
Dave Chase
Solo mission play?
Price range of the starter box/set, weapons/accesories packs, individual fighters?
(Of if you don't have set price yet, can you give us a range give or take a bit)
Dave Chase
You would be welcome to!
