How much fun is ACTA:SF?

[hdan]

@ hdan - Sounds like you had fun, but "Farraguts"? The only Farragut in the SFU was a Constitution (NCC-1702), did you mean frigates? :lol:

Arg! That's what I get for posting from memory. Yes, I meant Frigates, but I misremembered the class name. It was the "two nacelle" frigate, which I proxied with some scratch built Saladins.

 

[adm]

The rules are covered in 23 pages.

IMHO that is one of the great things about ACTA - the rules are simple, so it makes tactics far more important than rules.

WOW 23 pages? Looking over my SFB rule set, if I include Alpha(what ACTA is playing with), Omega, Simulators, and the Lesser Magellanic Cloud(LMC), no ship descriptions, no SSDs, no scenarios, and no reference annexes, there are over 700 pages of rules for SFB. :shock:

How can you play a game with ONLY 23 pages of rules. :lol:

 

[Greg Smith]

If you include scenarios and ship lists there are around 80 pages. So about 11% of SFB. :lol:

 

[GalagaGalaxian]

re the D7 - Unless you want the Command variant I think the D6 is better value - you only really loose a couple of AD (and they are phaser 2's so less important) and the 25pts gain may help to squeeze another or better ship Although the D5W is much better ship for only 10pts more, double the Phasers 1's .

Its also worth noting that the remaining Ph-2s have different arcs, the D-7s are PH/SH, while the D6's are A,P/A,S. Not that big a deal, but it does reduce forward firepower slightly. Still the D6 is an excellent deal for it's points compared to the D7, or maybe the D7 isn't a good enough deal for it's points.

Arg! That's what I get for posting from memory. Yes, I meant Frigates, but I misremembered the class name. It was the "two nacelle" frigate, which I proxied with some scratch built Saladins.

No worries, also nice to see someone else with some scratch built Saladins. Built mine out of a damaged Constitution mini, an older plastic Starline series one. However she's since been upgraded/modified with the addition of an upper pylon and engineering hull, turning her into something somewhat different looking, sadly I doubt I could post a picture freely on the boards due to its vague resemblance to a ship from a certain movie. :lol:

 

[McKinstry]

Played my first game yesterday using some 2400 series ships and some proxies and it was great fun. Just 500 points a side and we were both new to the CTA system (prior BFG & Full Thrust gamers) but we agreed it was a great 'feeling' system and simply good cinematic fun. I'm looking forward to playing the heck out of this game for years to come.

 

[Totenkopf]

Played my first game yesterday using some 2400 series ships and some proxies and it was great fun. Just 500 points a side and we were both new to the CTA system (prior BFG & Full Thrust gamers) but we agreed it was a great 'feeling' system and simply good cinematic fun. I'm looking forward to playing the heck out of this game for years to come.

I see you're new to the forums, have you posted/looked in http://forum.mongoosepublishing.com/viewtopic.php?f=103&t=49543

See if you can find new players in your area who are already active here and people can find you for games as well

 

[McKinstry]

I have posted my locale but I am quite lucky and belong to multiple groups of gamers open to new rules, a lot of spaceship gamers and plenty of opportunities to play.

 

[Totenkopf]

I have posted my locale but I am quite lucky and belong to multiple groups of gamers open to new rules, a lot of spaceship gamers and plenty of opportunities to play.

cool, mind if I look you guys up next time I stop by in Atlanta?

 

[McKinstry]

Give us a heads up for a Saturday game and we'll put something together of substance. Weekdays are catch as catch can depending on the vagaries of business travel.

 

[MarkDawg]

Okay I have to admit that I had fun playing SF today for the first time(My third game). After the FAQ came out and I got some questions answered on the forums I have a better understanding how to play the game. Although I am sure we played some stuff wrong I think the game is fun and after you add terrain and get in to more of the depth of this book it will be a rich table top experience.

I have to say that the wording in the book is confusing and could have bee written more concise. One thing I hope they add in the near future is a way to refit your ships and customize them to your liking via an appropriate points system.

I have been playing as Klingon and really enjoying it. Now I just need the dam minis I ordered!!!!!

 

[Sgt_G]

One thing I hope they add in the near future is a way to refit your ships and customize them to your liking via an appropriate points system.

In the early days, Star Fleet Battles had such a system. It was easily abused, so it was removed in later editions. It might be harder to abuse ACTA, but the risk is still there.

And I'm not sure what you could do to make the ships "better". They are already depicted as "Late War" designs with all the upgrades and refits, so if you're thinking about adding weapons -- the ships are pretty well maxed out in Star Fleet Universe (SFB / FedCmdr). Not saying you can't do it in ACTA, but you've moved beyond the background matterial from SFU.

If you're thinking of swapping out, say, disruptors for drones, there are ships in SFU yet to be ported over to ACTA and so those may be in future products. If you're thinking of swapping out, say, photons on Fed ships for disruptors, or vice versa for Klingon ships, that sort of "tech sloshing" is frowned upon in SFU ... but again, if they want to do it in ACTA, so be it.

 

[Kirksfolly]

I'm new to this game though I've played a few spaceship combat games before. I really like the 'historical' fluff that constrains the approach of different factions to warfare and spaceship design. For me, this gives the game a 'reality' framework often lacking in other fictional games. I like the 'historical' offerings of ship variations but I wouldn't want to see the ability to change ship weaponry or equipment just by paying 'x' amount of points introduced, as I think that would take the game into a different place entirely.

 

[Iron Domokun]

Swapping disruptors for photons on Klingon ships is verboten because Klingons in later Trek material had photons, so doing so violates the license. No Klinks with photons or cloaks.

 

[MarkDawg]

I was never suggesting that I would like to see tech sloshing as it has been put I would like to have an Ion cannon on my Klink ships! or make a phaser only ship choose my won arcs would be nice. This would all have to be represented in the appropriate points to make it work.

 

[Iron Domokun]

"Tech sloshing" is a term for proposing a ship from empire X which uses weapons exclusively used by empire Y. Ion cannons are exclusively used by the Vudar so proposing a Klingon ship with ion cannons is tech sloshing. The intention is to keep each empire as distinct as possible.

 

[Kirksfolly]

Thanks for the assurance ID.

 

[MarkDawg]

who are the vuldar and Klinks do use Ion cannons bro in the star trek universe.

 

[Keeper Nilbog]

Vudar - Klingon subject race. Unaware of any Klingon ship with 'Ion Cannons' on FC :?

 

[walkerd]

Sigh

The more I read the more I want to buy this game.

ACTA is clearly designed for larger scale actions. My own preference would be for squadron size actions, with the occasional large lfeet and the occasional one on one.

Can any one comment on how the game handles the different scaling?

Thanks

 

[GalagaGalaxian]

2-4 ships (what I'd call squadron) will work decently, 2 being a bit iffy.

1v1 isn't too good, basically coming down to initiative.

500 point games are the smallest "typical" size, and for example, frigates tend to be about 100 points and Heavy Cruisers about 150-200.