Evade software question?

[dayriff]

I was running my first straight-up starship combat using all the rules last night. One thing I was a bit unsure how to handle was the Evade/1 software that the ship's computer was equipped with. The software states that the computer dodges automatically, giving a -1 DM to enemy attacks. Normally a Dodge reaction uses 1 point of Thrust and a successful Pilot check to give a -2 DM to the enemy attack. So does the software:

1. Give a free -1 against all enemy Gunnery checks?

2. Act as an alternative to the pilot check, where you can take the auto-1 INSTEAD of making a Pilot check and maybe getting -2. Each dodge uses up Thrust as normal.

3. Allow it to act as an expert program and give a +1 to the Pilot check to dodge.

I ended up going with alternative 3, but it was a head scratcher.

 

[DFW]

I was running my first straight-up starship combat using all the rules last night. One thing I was a bit unsure how to handle was the Evade/1 software that the ship's computer was equipped with. The software states that the computer dodges automatically, giving a -1 DM to enemy attacks. Normally a Dodge reaction uses 1 point of Thrust and a successful Pilot check to give a -2 DM to the enemy attack. So does the software:

1. Give a free -1 against all enemy Gunnery checks?

2. Act as an alternative to the pilot check, where you can take the auto-1 INSTEAD of making a Pilot check and maybe getting -2. Each dodge uses up Thrust as normal.

3. Allow it to act as an expert program and give a +1 to the Pilot check to dodge.

I ended up going with alternative 3, but it was a head scratcher.

I use #2 as that is the closest to the programs description. It gives a straight bonus, no skill check required.

 

[Treebore]

I was running my first straight-up starship combat using all the rules last night. One thing I was a bit unsure how to handle was the Evade/1 software that the ship's computer was equipped with. The software states that the computer dodges automatically, giving a -1 DM to enemy attacks. Normally a Dodge reaction uses 1 point of Thrust and a successful Pilot check to give a -2 DM to the enemy attack. So does the software:

1. Give a free -1 against all enemy Gunnery checks?

2. Act as an alternative to the pilot check, where you can take the auto-1 INSTEAD of making a Pilot check and maybe getting -2. Each dodge uses up Thrust as normal.

3. Allow it to act as an expert program and give a +1 to the Pilot check to dodge.

I ended up going with alternative 3, but it was a head scratcher.

I use #2 as that is the closest to the programs description. It gives a straight bonus, no skill check required.

Yep, also it is the closest to how it was done in Classic too.

 

[dayriff]

Yep, also it is the closest to how it was done in Classic too.

I don't understand what that means, though. It gives the bonus to every attack, or every time it goves the bonus, it uses up one thrust in reaction as normal?

So like, the ship is fired upon. The pilot has reserved a thrust for dodge. The computer automatically dodges the ship for a -1 to the attack roll. The Pilot can make a pilot check for an additional -2 to the attack roll, for a total of -3. if she fails, the -1 is still there.

The ship is fired upon again. No thrust is left for dodging. Neither the computer nor the pilot can help.

Is that how this works? It doesn't seem right that the computer should get a 'free' dodge, even without thrust.

 

[DFW]

Is that how this works? It doesn't seem right that the computer should get a 'free' dodge, even without thrust.

Yep, no free dodge. So, if your pilot is good, you don't need it.

 

[Treebore]

Is that how this works? It doesn't seem right that the computer should get a 'free' dodge, even without thrust.

Yep, no free dodge. So, if your pilot is good, you don't need it.

Yes, you have to have thrust left, or set aside, for the computer Evade to still give the bonus. You cannot dodge if you cannot move.

 

[locarno24]

Any computer software is only there to let another crewman be doing something more interesting (or in case they're not qualified at something).

The ship has to be capable of dodging for the software to help - just the same as a Fire Control and Expert Gunner system doesn't give you an extra shot unless there's a weapon nobody's fired.

A competent person dodging is less predictable (i.e. better) than a commercial machine running through a limited number of evasive routines. But if you're not confident about the 'competent' bit, the machine is certainly a more reliable use of engine power.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Personally, I would let the dodge work against ALL attacks from on ship for the entire turn. At least for Energy weapons or Missiles, but not both.

So, if a ship fires a PA beam and a Laser Beam, one dodge could be used against both attacks, because theoretically, both weapons hit at the same time, but just have to be rolled separately due to game mechanics. Missiles hitting from that same ship would not get the dodge effect since they are coming in from a slightly different direction.

I would give either the -1 DM from the computer with not roll or the Pilot roll, not combined and both take 1G of thrust to perform.

YMMV

 

[dayriff]

Personally, I would let the dodge work against ALL attacks from on ship for the entire turn. At least for Energy weapons or Missiles, but not both.

So, if a ship fires a PA beam and a Laser Beam, one dodge could be used against both attacks, because theoretically, both weapons hit at the same time, but just have to be rolled separately due to game mechanics. Missiles hitting from that same ship would not get the dodge effect since they are coming in from a slightly different direction.

I would give either the -1 DM from the computer with not roll or the Pilot roll, not combined and both take 1G of thrust to perform.

I will consider that, but... Well, sometimes I think that I approach this game a bit differently from some of the other posters on this board. I don't necessarily look at the mechanics and go, "How can I make them more realistic?" I figure that realism, to the extent I care about it, is something to be done with flavor text and rationalizations. And frankly I care more about evoking Andre Norton than I do about science.

My main concern about space combat at this point is that it doesn't offer players a lot of interesting choices. You figure out the optimum use of your thrust pretty quickly, and after that it seems like the same rolls over and over again until somebody's ship takes too much damage.

Do you have any ideas on making spaceship combat a little more tactically interesting for the players?

 

[rust]

Do you have any ideas on making spaceship combat a little more tactically interesting for the players?

Unfortunately space combat is a rather boring business unless one goes
Star Wars and introduces fighter dogfights in space.

In space there is not much potential for using the terrain to gain an ad-
vantage, and a surprise is difficult to achieve. In the end it is much like
the ritualized battleship fights of our real world history, the ships of both
sides take their formation and continue to exchange blows until one side
is destroyed or retreats.

If you want more action for the characters, you probably have to look at
what happens inside the ships.

A ship hit by enemy fire is a desaster area, with people wounded and dy-
ing and in need of rescue and medical treatment, vital equipment disabled
and in need of repair or replacement, stuff threatening to explode or about
to catch fire, atmosphere getting lost through leaks the size of a house,
and so on and on.

Here is where characters can shine, not so much at the gunnery console
of some turret watching sensor screens and keeping the computers from
doing their job.

 

[dayriff]

A ship hit by enemy fire is a desaster area, with people wounded and dy-
ing and in need of rescue and medical treatment, vital equipment disabled
and in need of repair or replacement, stuff threatening to explode or about
to catch fire, atmosphere getting lost through leaks the size of a house,
and so on and on.

Here is where characters can shine, not so much at the gunnery console
of some turret watching sensor screens and keeping the computers from
doing their job.

That is a very helpful suggestion, thanks!

 

[rinku]

My reading of the Evade program is that having it gives a flat -1 to be hit and does not require Thrust to benefit. This would represent the ship using attitude thrusters, ECM and other strategies to rapidly vary the ship's sensor image. The program *also* provides a number of auto-dodges (which will reqire thrust, but not a Pilot roll).

So, Joe Jet Jockey with Pilot-2, +1DM, running Evade/1 in a 3G ship:

First G spent on dodge: no roll to execute. -1 for the program, -2 for dodge for his ship to be hit.
Second or third G spent on dodge: 5+ to dodge.

Each dodge protects against one attack (all weapons from one foe that round), as far as I can tell, though the rules aren't crystal clear on this. You may want to rule that each dodge protects against all attacks and that susequent dodges add another -2 to the total.

 

[dayriff]

Each dodge protects against one attack (all weapons from one foe that round), as far as I can tell, though the rules aren't crystal clear on this. You may want to rule that each dodge protects against all attacks and that susequent dodges add another -2 to the total.

Combat takes long enough to roll out as it is. I don't want to make ships unhittable!