The main reason I play ACTA is for a strategic game. I like to make a plan, execute it meticulously, and watch my opponent gasp in horror at how sneaky I am. All too often however, this plan is totally let down by some pathetic dice rolling, or opponent's fantastic dice rolling. So I am thinking, how about making a dice-free version of ACTA? Good idea/stupid idea?
Diceless ACTA
- Thread starter Burger
- Start date
I have always seen the downside of any game as bad or good dice. The stats and tactcis can play their part, and really good tactics can overcome dice rollsin "most" games. Due to crist of course ACTA is different.
The dice in my mind role the vagries of war. Imagine WWII as a dice game.
Market garden the brits land and are read to go, they make a communications roll to co-ordinate everything, and lo, roll a 1, communications don't work... on D-Day, german high command requires approval for movement of tanks, their command check fails... At pegasus bridge, the Airbornew roll a 6 on their courage check, and hold for hours preventing gherman re-inforcements
.. go brits!!
how would you represent this in a diceless game? how do you decide if a ship hits, misses, etc. Give me some details, by mail if you want, for me to more thoroughly consider your question.
The dice in my mind role the vagries of war. Imagine WWII as a dice game.
Market garden the brits land and are read to go, they make a communications roll to co-ordinate everything, and lo, roll a 1, communications don't work... on D-Day, german high command requires approval for movement of tanks, their command check fails... At pegasus bridge, the Airbornew roll a 6 on their courage check, and hold for hours preventing gherman re-inforcements
.. go brits!! how would you represent this in a diceless game? how do you decide if a ship hits, misses, etc. Give me some details, by mail if you want, for me to more thoroughly consider your question.
Yes, thats exactly what I am talking about. A roll of 1 can totally screw up your plans whereas a lucky 6-6 can mean the most stupid suicidal plan ever, works.hiffano said:The dice in my mind role the vagries of war. Imagine WWII as a dice game.
Market garden the brits land and are read to go, they make a communications roll to co-ordinate everything, and lo, roll a 1, communications don't work... on D-Day, german high command requires approval for movement of tanks, their command check fails... At pegasus bridge, the Airbornew roll a 6 on their courage check, and hold for hours preventing gherman re-inforcements
Well I haven't really worked that out yet. Just guaging interesthiffano said:
if you could come up with a workeable plan, I would be all for it.
how about a token pool? you both get an equal pool of tokens allowing certain things, and play them hidden in the start phase then reveal them?
tokens could be for come about, concentrate fire, full hit, evasive maneuvres. i suppose a special action selection of bits? still not sure how to resolve firing though
how about a token pool? you both get an equal pool of tokens allowing certain things, and play them hidden in the start phase then reveal them?
tokens could be for come about, concentrate fire, full hit, evasive maneuvres. i suppose a special action selection of bits? still not sure how to resolve firing though
Actually I was thinking about using Full Thrust's movement system instead. Its quite cool
Bye bye initiative - all movement is written down in secret
Bye bye boresight - wouldn't work
Bye bye to Come About, APtE, All Stop - they all become APtE which basically lets you increase your thrust value for the turn
Firing, I am thinking KISS. ADs are just converted to damage, like in the simulation scenario (forget what its called, border patrol or something). Looking at the series, most hits tend to destroy ships!
Token pool is a cool idea too. Maybe could allow buying extra tokens with FAPs?
Bye bye initiative - all movement is written down in secret
Bye bye boresight - wouldn't work
Bye bye to Come About, APtE, All Stop - they all become APtE which basically lets you increase your thrust value for the turn
Firing, I am thinking KISS. ADs are just converted to damage, like in the simulation scenario (forget what its called, border patrol or something). Looking at the series, most hits tend to destroy ships!
Token pool is a cool idea too. Maybe could allow buying extra tokens with FAPs?
Burger said:Actually I was thinking about using Full Thrust's movement system instead. Its quite cool
Bye bye initiative - all movement is written down in secret
Bye bye boresight - wouldn't work
Bye bye to Come About, APtE, All Stop - they all become APtE which basically lets you increase your thrust value for the turn
Firing, I am thinking KISS. ADs are just converted to damage, like in the simulation scenario (forget what its called, border patrol or something). Looking at the series, most hits tend to destroy ships!
Token pool is a cool idea too. Maybe could allow buying extra tokens with FAPs?
ah thats put me off - I like ACTA movement system - or most of it - not boresight................
Problem with the movement is that it is simple, but it's just not realistic. If you stop one turn, why is it a special order to not move the next turn? What, some muppet in the engine room just can't resist pressing the big red "move minimum of half speed" button, so the captain has to keep saying "DON'T PRESS THAT BUTTON" down the com at him? And, it is space. Why do ships have a maximum speed?
Full Thrust's movement is just as simple as ACTA, yet vector based so it removes all of these realism issues.
It's still up for debate though, convince me that ACTA's movement is better and I'll use it!
Full Thrust's movement is just as simple as ACTA, yet vector based so it removes all of these realism issues.
It's still up for debate though, convince me that ACTA's movement is better and I'll use it!
Stonehorse
Mongoose
I remember seeing something like this before, each player had a sheet of random numbers 1-6, for each roll they would consult the chart and mark off each number as it was used. Each players sheet was different.
The main advantage I can see in this is that you can plan further ahead as you know what the numbers are going to be on an all important roll.
The only problem is getting someone mad enough to try it out with!
If you do manage to give it a shot, please post back how it works out.
The main advantage I can see in this is that you can plan further ahead as you know what the numbers are going to be on an all important roll.
The only problem is getting someone mad enough to try it out with!
If you do manage to give it a shot, please post back how it works out.
No dice?
I quite like chess, although I'm no good at it.
The main change I'd make to the campaign game is to allow the attacker to choose the scenario and priority level.
So you send a flotilla to set up an ambush, or a convoy raid, or a planetary assault, and the attacker can select ships (in their overall fleet composition, as part of a long term strategy) suitable for those missions. This leaves the defender having to react to the attacker's initiative, which is as it should be.
It would allow fleets that are strong at certain PLs against particular opponents to exploit that, and rewards aggressive, attacking play.
@ Burger - I like Full Thrust a lot, and the movement system works very well, apart from the pre-written orders part, which limits tactics and bogs the game down. I haven't played it for a while, so this is off the top of my head -
Actually, it is quite playable with ACtA initiative, boresights and all - just move one ship at a time, each side alternating, as per ACtA. FTs missile rules won't work, but ACtA doesn't use them anyway.
ACtA speed upto 7 = thrust 2;
ACtA speed upto 8-10 = thrust 4;
ACtA speed upto 11-13 = thrust 6;
ACtA speed upto 14+ = thrust 8?
Turning (attitude change) ability could either be based on total thrust as per FT, or something like
1/45, lumbering = 30
1/45 =60
2/45 = 90
1/90 = 120
2/90 = 180
Agile = can use cinematic movement, maybe
SM = Hmmm. TBA.
How have you worked this?
I quite like chess, although I'm no good at it.
The main change I'd make to the campaign game is to allow the attacker to choose the scenario and priority level.
So you send a flotilla to set up an ambush, or a convoy raid, or a planetary assault, and the attacker can select ships (in their overall fleet composition, as part of a long term strategy) suitable for those missions. This leaves the defender having to react to the attacker's initiative, which is as it should be.
It would allow fleets that are strong at certain PLs against particular opponents to exploit that, and rewards aggressive, attacking play.
@ Burger - I like Full Thrust a lot, and the movement system works very well, apart from the pre-written orders part, which limits tactics and bogs the game down. I haven't played it for a while, so this is off the top of my head -
Actually, it is quite playable with ACtA initiative, boresights and all - just move one ship at a time, each side alternating, as per ACtA. FTs missile rules won't work, but ACtA doesn't use them anyway.
ACtA speed upto 7 = thrust 2;
ACtA speed upto 8-10 = thrust 4;
ACtA speed upto 11-13 = thrust 6;
ACtA speed upto 14+ = thrust 8?
Turning (attitude change) ability could either be based on total thrust as per FT, or something like
1/45, lumbering = 30
1/45 =60
2/45 = 90
1/90 = 120
2/90 = 180
Agile = can use cinematic movement, maybe
SM = Hmmm. TBA.
How have you worked this?
Locutus9956
Mongoose
Show me a system that works and I'll be interested but removing dice entirely has its flaws as there really should be at least SOME chance factor.
I do like the FT movement system but I should warn, that the vector system can get VERY complicated and messy in larger games with lots of ships (for small numbers though its brilliant). Personally though if youre gonna go that way I'd just make some ships up using the full thrust rules and just play Full Thrust with B5 minis
I do love ACTA but FT is still in my eyese the best Starship minis game out there.
I do like the FT movement system but I should warn, that the vector system can get VERY complicated and messy in larger games with lots of ships (for small numbers though its brilliant). Personally though if youre gonna go that way I'd just make some ships up using the full thrust rules and just play Full Thrust with B5 minis
I do love ACTA but FT is still in my eyese the best Starship minis game out there.
No. 1 Bear
Mongoose
the only problem i see is that you loose the ability to have a ship that will stick it out agaist the enemy no matter the odds. Or that tiny fighter unit that flies down inside a space station and blows it up completely.
