Fleet Action scale figures!

[The Legend]

So are the bases that have been provided by Mongoose supposed to balance the game by seperating the figs by the required amount so you don't have them too close together? No offense but that is rediculous. As if thats the case why aren't the counters round to the same size.

Take for example:

Omega Destroyer, Primus Battlecruiser, Olympus Corvette, Thentus Frigate, T'Loth Assault Cruiser, Vorchan are all on the same size Counters.

Omega Destroyer, Primus Battlecruiser, Olympus Corvette, T'Loth Assault Cruiser are all on the large bases because of the size of their figures and thus have their ability to close and get very close to ships reduced dramatically!

Thentus Frigate, Vorchan win out better here as their bases do take up a larger area but still are far less than the poor ships on larger bases!

Just think you take the rough with the smooth. I prefer the FA scale figs. But I won't be sticking them on anything but small FA bases except for maybe Dreadnoughts and Battleships etc.

 

[Burger]

No, there is no "official" base size.

 

[The Legend]

No, there is no "official" base size.

That was what I thought. It just seems more sensible to me to not look too closely into the Base sizes or counter sizes for any of the ships. Though I can see the advantage/disadvantage to certain base sizes for ships.

 

[Davesaint]

No, there is no "official" base size.

You're right, there isn't, but there should be. Most of the mainline minatures games have them.

For example:
DBA
DBM, DBR, etc
Hordes of the Things
Warhammer
40k
Warhammer Ancients
Flames of War
Battlefront

I don't think Confrontation does, but I have yet to see anyone rebase figures for it either.

The statement was made about the difference in the size of counters. Ok, I'll bite. It is not uncommon to have different sized bases for different units. In DBA for example, shooters have a different sized base from blades.

The big problem with not having a standard base size comes with the ruling that bases can't overlap. It is a huge advantage to be able to have your ships, especially the small FA scale figs, 1 inch apart rather than 2" apart.

Dave

 

[lastbesthope]

No, there is no "official" base size.

There are, however, these yet to be enforced but drawn up sometime ago, base size guidelines.

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/ctashipbases.pdf

LBH

 

[Silvereye]

I don't think Confrontation does, but I have yet to see anyone rebase figures for it either.

Confrontation does, it is used for model force, and the amount of crowding around in hand-to-hand combat.

 

[Davesaint]

I don't think Confrontation does, but I have yet to see anyone rebase figures for it either.

Confrontation does, it is used for model force, and the amount of crowding around in hand-to-hand combat.

Thanks Silvereye, I am just getting into Confrontation. I have about 400 or so points of Dikinee(sp?).


Dave

 

[Silvereye]

Yeah, I have been into it for a while, and just re-learning it. I can field 400+ points of Wolfen and Alchemists. And about 200 points of Lions and Griffons. I have also picked up a bunch of other figures on the 'Thats so cool...' factor. So I may get some Daikeene elves later as I really like what they are doing with the elven races.

Drop me a PM if you have any queries and I'll try and help out with them.

 

[Ripple]

I always love when folks say things like 'that's just ridicules' on these boards. Always good to start off to throw into a discussion by calling the other guys something less you.

There are no 'official' sizes for bases in this game, quite true. Also true is that other games do have official sizes and they help regulate those games.

We had a discussion on here a while back about fighter basing. It was generally a given with most folks that if some one 'cheesed out' the basing of their fights to the point of using say, pins they stuck in the board to 'base' their fighters no one would play with them. Same was basically said of using little 10mm bases with the fighters stacked vertically on a wire. Why? Because it let someone stick a whole lot more fighters in range and a single arc. Make the exact same argument about ships and all of a sudden your being ridiculous.

The difference in volume of the FA scale bases is substantial. It's not placing a ship one inch closer, its placing a bunch of ships one inch closer. This can dramatically change the amount of dice thrown in a turn. Using the hyperion squadron example, it generally has amounted to two extra hyperions using their numerous secondary weapons. If the three ships are side by side it amounts to an extra two inches of range on the far ships guns. If someone walked up to me and said because I use a different companies figures I get extra range I would stare at them funny, but because we have multiple scales in this game I am expected to think its fine.

Not saying folks have to rebase their FA, but I'd not be going about calling people ridicules. I mean your okay with them saying that whenever they have to shoot over friendly bases they get to add an inch of range for each one...just to be fair. Because your not using the smaller scale bases to get an advantage you should be fine with that right?

/rant off...real comment

Seriously...I do not think this game is so finely balanced (no game is) that they really took base size into account. But it is an issue, more so in the furball stage than any other point, but also a big deal for boresight races that opperate in tight squadrons as the volume of the base forces ship off line and often out of the ability to make a turn and bring secondaries to bear. A lot of folks don't believe this but do the experiment, cut some paper circles out, put arrows on them and try moving around.

The smaller volume base means squadrons can operate much closer together, that equates to a greater concentration of force...and the added risk of explosion/JPB is pretty small when you consider if you getting you secondaries to concentrate on a target your inside the templates anyway. Anytime, in any game I've continued to play, that you can create a greater concentration of force than your opponent for no real cost, you will get a sense that the game is unfair.

And to tell you I am on both sides of this debate, I have my abbai still on their original hex bases and they stack as close as I can get them...meaning my milanies are literally stacked due to the gap in the back. It makes a differance.

Ripple

 

[The Legend]

I always love when folks say things like 'that's just ridicules' on these boards. Always good to start off to throw into a discussion by calling the other guys something less you.

Sorry If I caused offence that was not my Intention. . I agree with pretty much all the points put forward which is why my group (the 4 of us who plan on playing anyway) are going to be using the FA scale figures based on small Flight bases. Then there can be no arguments about spacing or stacking, I hope. I don't think it will change the game for us at all as before this we we're using counters which allow closer engagements than the Regular scale figs anyhow.

The main question I originally had was, did anyone else use FA scale figures and did they have any pics of them in combat?

 

[Wulf Corbett]

The main question I originally had was, did anyone else use FA scale figures and did they have any pics of them in combat?

I do, I used to have a thread giving a complete batrep on playtesting Shadow Dancing with FA scale ships, but it seems to have gone.

Here are the pics
It was a struggle to fit all the ships onto the board on turn one, with the restrictions on movement from a single Jump Point...

Everyone ready for battle

Turn1

Turn2

Turn3

Turn4

Start of Turn5

Wulf

 

[The Legend]

Nice. That's a whole load of figures there. I take it you use FA scale figs almost exclusively? Do you own any of the Dilgar FA stuff, I've just bought a load of em and was wondering if they were good representations of the Normal scale.

 

[Wulf Corbett]

Nice. That's a whole load of figures there. I take it you use FA scale figs almost exclusively? Do you own any of the Dilgar FA stuff, I've just bought a load of em and was wondering if they were good representations of the Normal scale.

Generally they are excellent, detailed minis, but beware the later ones (the ones that actually have a FA pic on the old AoG sales website!) as they are later, computer-moulded, and poor, poor, poor. As you can see, the range is limited - the pic is my effort to make a FA scale Garasoch & Mankhat. I still have to attempt to make a Omelos out of an Ochlavita - it's just so damn small!

Wulf

 

[The Legend]

FAntastic man! Liking the look of these. I must admit I looked at the photographed ones and whas a little :? . I like the look of yer conversions. I've been looking into building fleets to refight the Dilgar Invasion and I've got a PDF version of the 1st engagements of the Dilgar War against the Alacans and Balosians that someone has converted to ACTA on line. Very good and very accurate to the original B5Wars publication.

Thanks for the quick reply mate.

 

[captainsmirk]

That would be because it was by Rich Bax, who was a member of the HRT and helped write a number of the later AoG suppliments, including their Dilgar War one.




Nick

*Edit: HRT = Historical Repair Team, NOT Hormone Replacement Therapy, if you were wondering...

 

[The Legend]

That would be because it was by Rich Bax, who was a member of the HRT and helped write a number of the later AoG suppliments, including their Dilgar War one.

Ah now that makes sense. It's very good I'm looking forward to trying it out! I've scoured the AOG and Mongoose sites for the Hulls that make up the Atrimis Cruiser for the Alacans any ideas which ship is the basis of this?

 

[captainsmirk]

I'm afraid it is probably one of the many ships AoG never got around to making a model for.

Unfortunatly the Alacans used old Abbai hulls which were no in service and not present in the modern Abbai fleet (unlike the Balosians who used a ships passed on Centauri hulls which were still in service in the Centauri fleet and thus have models...)

Sorry...


Nick

 

[Ripple]

First...no real offense taken...I just get snippy sometimes...ask anyone here who still reads my posts.

Wulf has a gorgeous stack of ships...the FA really do look nice on the table and if I didn't already have so many full scale ships I would have gone for the smaller stuff. Well that and the drazi hulls I love so much are just too tiny.

Ripple