Eras?

[Pavlov Grenadier]

Hi all! How do most players use the In Service Dates? Ignore them and play whatever or decide on a date and make your list that way? Does it matter for game play...for instance are the ships balanced by date "you should never play a 2202 vs a 2260+" or are the ships purely balanced by PL and dates are more for fluff?

I ask since several of us want to play EA and arent sure what to do about the Eras.

Thanks!

Curtis

 

[H]

Ships are roughly balanced by level, so in theory a dilgar fleet can go toe to toe with Drakh or crusade EA.
of course in a campaign if you want more flavour, set a date and use ISD's... every turn could be a year, so at certain stages, new fleets get new ships..

 

[Tankdriver]

Now there is an idea. I accept the challenge, Hiffano. I will take the Dilgar, you get the Drahk. Winner take all!
Or not. I just want to get a game in.

Generally, my group ignores in service dates, though I think it does help keep some mismatches to a minimum.

 

[H]

Now there is an idea. I accept the challenge, Hiffano. I will take the Dilgar, you get the Drahk. Winner take all!
Or not. I just want to get a game in.

Generally, my group ignores in service dates, though I think it does help keep some mismatches to a minimum.

can you wait till i get a mother ship ;-)

 

[emperorpenguin]

every turn could be a year, so at certain stages, new fleets get new ships..

Hiff you just gave me a great idea.......

 

[H]

every turn could be a year, so at certain stages, new fleets get new ships..

Hiff you just gave me a great idea.......

I aim to please. Unless that idea is to set a giant badger on me, then I really don't like it!

 

[emperorpenguin]

maybe a very small badger.......

 

[Ripple]

We found it was best to ignore them for pick-up and campaign games and reserve them for specific scenarios. The game is supposedly not balanced in such a way as the date matters, so it is just an artificial restriction on ship choice and racial opponents. IE a ship that is a good raid ship in its day will still be a good raid ship in any game of ACtA regardless of how many centuries have passed.

That said, it could have been done differently. In our Star Fleet Battles days we played a campaign with advancing dates and it made a huge difference when you got which improvements. Very tense. Also not very balanced...but we were going for historical recreation (of a fiction I know) so didn't mind much. Victory conditions seemed to even it out, so bigger badder ships wasn't all that mattered.

Ripple

 

[Pavlov Grenadier]

Thanks for all the responses. So on that note, does anyone know if they are going to have 3 seperate fleet lists for Earth? I see the three different box sets...will there be lists for each and if so, can you mix and match?

Thanks!

Curtis

 

[H]

mate, their ARE 3 seperate fleet lists. they arrived in armageddon.
Early, Third age, and Crusade eras

 

[Pavlov Grenadier]

mate, their ARE 3 seperate fleet lists. they arrived in armageddon.
Early, Third age, and Crusade eras

Ahhh...I see. Sorry for the ignorance, we have just started playing (last week) and only have the box set. Until Armageddon arrives, can you confirm for me that the fleets are seperate (No Early Years ships mixed with Crusade, etc.)?

Thanks!

Curtis

 

[H]

yes, that is correct, the fleets do not mix (some ships cross fleets though) Go have a look at any of the ship viewets (player resources thread) to see which ships lie where.

 

[Tankdriver]

Also, unless you have already ordered it, I would not pick up Armeggeddon as the second edition should be out in about six weeks.

 

[Tankdriver]

Now there is an idea. I accept the challenge, Hiffano. I will take the Dilgar, you get the Drahk. Winner take all!
Or not. I just want to get a game in.

Generally, my group ignores in service dates, though I think it does help keep some mismatches to a minimum.

can you wait till i get a mother ship ;-)

Look, Hiff, I am getting old here, I am not sure I have that much time left to me!