Conversion question

[Ryueokami]

Hi
I hope I put this one in the right forum^^.
I'm currently working on converting the vehicles,... of a rpg I like
to acta (in order to simulate grand scale battles better).

I have the problem that I ran into a few problems with the conversion,
and would like to ask, if anyone would have a good idea.

For the "task" at hand:
The units involved in the game are changeable mecha-fighters (that
can switch between multiple modes), normal "fighters" / mechas with propulsion
and starships.

I have run into two main problems here:

1.) The modes:
The mechas have multiple modes:
Each of the modes has it's own advantages and disadavantges:
Fighters:
Very fast, and maneuverable. Weapons
have fixed arcs
Humanoid:
Not as fast, but almost as maneuverable as fighters
The primary weapons are in the arms and head, so they can
change targets / firearcs very rapidly.

The idea I have therefore is, that the modes give modifiers for dogfight and speed and dodge.
Fighters: High dodge, speed. Low Dogfight
Humanoid: Less Dodge, much less speed, high Dogfight.
Switching between modes is only possible at beginning of the turn.



2.) The numbers of the fighters / mecha / ...
The "humans" are the numerically inferior race, that
have better armored units, and more heavily armed ones.

The biggest human carriers have between 250 and 500 mecha/fighters.

The biggest Alien carrier has 25.000 fithers.

I can't really decide here about what would be a decent (and fair)
approach. For example: If I say that humans have 12 mechas / squadron
and the aliens 1.000, then I'm not sure if I don't "overpower" the humans.

In the RPG the humans have superiorly armed machines, and have a better armor on them.
Also their skills are superior to that of the aliens, BUT 1 human can't take care of
almost 100 of the aliens at once....the best of the humans could only take on 5-20
with a chance of survival.


Like I said I have some troubles deciding here (for "1" if that would be appropriate, and for "2" what a good solution could be like)

I'm open to all comments and suggesstions!

 

[Da Boss]

hmm difficult one - if you are trying to simulate "fair fights" than giving ships a PL / points value is ok but if your are trying to simulate hugely mass battle as you describe then difficult......

there is a ACTA version of Battlestar on the forum which IIRC has rules for waves of Cyclon Raiders whihc may help represent the numerous alien fighters?

I think if you have lots of changable fighters on the table you may end up being confused? Esp if they can go back and forth?

otherwsie your idea whould seem to work fine?

You could represent the human superior skills by giving them the "Psychic Dodge" trait but call it "Superior Talent" or some such?

 

[Ryueokami]

With huge battles I also mean between more than 2 ships the smallest two size classes of each side (which would also account for 100-200 fighters for the humans and a few thousand for the aliens).
And also battles with a dozen ships of each side on the field.

For the "confusion": I have the idea, that there could be counters for each mode that they have=> if you change mode, you replace the counter with the one for the other mode.

I like the idea regarding psychic dodge!


for the waves rules: At least as I remember them (I think I read v1.0?) I didn't really like them so much (but I must reread them in the actual version....maybe my memory doesn't serve me right here^^).

tnx

 

[Ryueokami]

oops maybe I remembered a version before 1.0

 

[Da Boss]

you could prob get away with flights representing 5 human fighters and each Alien counter representing 100?

 

[Ryueokami]

For the humans i must use 12 fighters / flight. Else I would run into problems with the bigger carriers that they have. The biggest human carrier, can carry almost 500 fighters. Even with 12 fighters / flight that would be almost 42 flights.


For the aliens, 100 / flight would be a really low number. I just checked, and the smallest ship has 800 fighters and the biggest 35.000
(that would be between 8 and 350 flights per ship)!


What about the swarm rules you mentioned, would that be a possibility with them?

Else, what do you think about the idea, that 1 flight represents up to 1.000 aliens, where the flights have 1 hit point per full 100 alien fighters.
So a 1.000 fighter flight would have 10 hit points. And each hit with a anti fighter weapon removes 1 of those hit points ?

 

[Ryueokami]

@DaBoss I tried your idea with 100, but had to change it too 200 (else the number of squads / ship would be HUGE for the alienside). Tnx


So I put all the ideas I had together and wrote them down. I would appreciate, if someone could give me a few pointers / criticisms about them. tnx



New Traits
CC
CC stands for close combat. A ship make a close combat attack in all forms
if it has a CC rating.
CC attacks can only be performed against one or more enemies directly adjacent (that means within 2’’) to the ship, if they are in front of or on LS, RS arcs of the ship.
CC dices can be split in order to attack multiple enemies at once.

Whenever a ship makes a CC attack, it itself also suffers a CC attack equal to half (rounded down) its own CC rating.

The CC rating itself depends on the size (health) of the ship:
01-05: 1
06-10: 2
11-20: 3
21-30: 4
31-40: 5
41-50: 6
51-60: 7
61-70: 8
71-80: 9
81-**: 10

The ability to do these attacks counts as a trait which can be destroyed by a critical hit.

Numerous
Whenever a squadron with a ship that features the “Numerous” trait is destroyed, you have two options:

1.) Roll 1d6, on a 6 the squadron is immediately replaced at its
old location and can act normal in the next turn. If 1-5 is rolled,
the squadron is instead launched from a ship with the Numerous trait
in the next turn (even if that ship uses a special action).
This squadron counts against the limit of crafts a ship can launch in a turn.

2.) A ship that has no special actions active (except scramble) can
spend a Numerous point (if it has some left) in order to increase the roll’s target number
in (1) to a 5+. If the roll succeeds, proceed as above. If the roll fails,
the squadron is instead immediately placed in a 2’’ area around the ship.
It can act normally in the next turn. In this turn it can’t move (furthermore
it can’t be placed in a dogfight! If placing it in a dogfight would be the only
option, then the squadron is destroyed instead….look out this drawback is only
active if the above roll fails!).



This trait and fleet carrier are mutually exclusive on the same ship
This trait cannot be destroyed by a critical hit. It is automatically lost
if a ship becomes crippled or skeleton crewed. There are no range limits to this trait.


Redundant Systems / Big Ship
Ships with this trait have a saving roll against all critical hits.
Roll once for each critical hit, a ship would suffer:
Without CBD: 6+ to ignore the critical
With CBD: 5+ to ignore the critical

If the ship in question is of patrol level priority, then increase the
target number by one (if it becomes 7, then two dices must be rolled.
The first one must show a 6, and the second one a 4+, in order to ignore
the critical).

If the ship in question is of war or Armageddon priority, then
decrease the target number by one (so 5+ without and 4+ with CBD).


This trait can’t be lost by a critical hit.
It is automatically lost, when a ship becomes crippled.




Special Actions
All mechas to the hull – Special action
A ship can only benefit from this SA if it has at least 1 troop point remaining.
If it has less than 3 points remaining then:
It doubles its AF and Interceptor ratings.
If it has no interceptors or AF, then it gains a rating of 1.

If it has 3 or more points remaining then:
It triples its AF and Interceptor ratings.
If it has no interceptors or AF, then it gains a rating of 2.

Whenever a ship performing this SA is hit by an attack that does damage,
it also looses a troop point in addition to all other damage done by the hit.


Form changing flights
Form changing occurs at the beginning of the owning players turn.
Flight form
Stats are as given by the flight
Hybrid form
Speed: -2
Dodge: -1
Dogfight: +1
Humanoid form
Speed: ½ of flight form
Dodge: -2
Dogfight: +2


Form changing ships
Form changing occurs at the beginning of the owning player’s turn.
The ability to change form is a trait and can be disabled by a critical hit. If this happens, the ship is bound to the form it had before the critical hit happened.
Ship form
Stats are as given by the ship
Hybrid form
Speed: -2
Dodge: -1
CC: ½ CC rating (rounded down)
Humanoid form
Speed: ½ of ship form
Dodge: -2
CC: Full CC rating




Fleet destroyer weapons (beams, ...)
A line is drawn directly in front of the ship (bore sight).
The line has a length equal to the range of the weapon.
Each ship / squadron / obstacle / … that is either on the line, or up to
2’’ left or right of it, is automatically attacked by the full dice pool
of the weapon.
All these attacks count as beam attacks!

Fire rate:
Slow loading

Stealth:
Stealth is decreased by 2 (4+ becomes 6+ …)

Dodge:
Dodge is decreased by 1 (4+ becomes 5+ …).

Ships with the Numerous trait can’t replace fighters at the location where
they were destroyed by this weapon. The new fighters can only be placed
around the ship (even if that was the location where the squadron has been
destroyed).

Ships can’t use any special actions when firing these weapons.








For the fleet destroyer beams I'm not sure if they should have slow loading, or can only fire
if a special action is taken (fire fleet destroyer), or both.

 

[Ryueokami]

Furthermore regarding the shipstats:

Humans (12 transformable fighters / squadron):
Biggest Ship (Transformable)
Squadrons: 26


Aliens (200 fighters per squadron):
Scout
Squadrons: 6
Numerous: 0


Destroyer
Squadrons: 24
Numerous: 17


"Carrier
Squadrons: 36
Numerous: 32


Commandoship
Squadrons: 13
Numerous: 8

Biggest ship
Squadrons: 36
Numerous: 20


Like I said the humans are numerically inferior, but the quality of their units is higher.

Furhtermore each ship listed here has the fleet destroyer weapon at
approx. 4 TD and a range of 36.

Also the humans have AF and Interceptors. The aliens don't have that,
instead they use their squadrons as interceptors