If i was dictator of the galaxy and going design V2.0 ACTA

[Lord David the Denied]

It's just i feel that the d6 limits things a little while bigger number wouldn't. Our group has converted to d12's and played with the stats a little in a effort to balance ships out but not actually having change the actual ship. changing SAP fwd beams to +3 while boresight at +4 helps a lot. A G'Quan is hull 12 while Primus is Hull 11, i was actually suprised how i was still able to hit the G'Quan with no modifers. This is why personally think d0 r a good idea. Also always liked the idea of some weapons being great at armour piercing but not dd. A lot easier to do with a d0 system but i do realise it will never happen till i take over the world.

Another thing i would do is change the word Stealth to ECM. Stealth implies sneaking around invisble. There is nothing sneaky about firing big green beams of doom while jamming the enemies equipment, he probably knows you are there. Just say while all ships come with ECM's systems some races/ships specialise in it thats why they get the bonus.

Chronopia and Warzone use a D20 system for attacks vs armour values, so you can go right up to the twenties with modifiers. D12 seems fine for ACtA. If it makes things more versatile and truer to the source material I'm all for it.

 

[Target]

What we needed to win that was a avatar of a d10 clobbering the dude zapping the d0. Had good laugh seeing superman badguy destroying the d0.

 

[H]

I had lots of Ideas, but seeing that the thread has just gone back over old ground, I think my points may be a tad worthles. If this is going to become a points over priority argument, we may as well stop now. the game IS a priority system, and I think very much that mongoose will keep it as such, lets not flog a dead horse again. I apear to be the only one who likes the priority system, it's quick, easy, and is every bit as flawed as a points system.

I was thinking more along the lines of fix certain ships such asDag Kar, Avioki, Certain centauri ships, the Neroon! write a number of historic scenarios and battles for people to play through so EVERYONE can have a go, not just the EA and Boneheads, add a number of missing fleets, develop a new stealth mechanism (yes, I lost 3 chronos and a marathon last night to a sharlin and someat else, 4 dead ships in exchange for 30ish damage) new fighter mechanics and skills/abilities, re-working of Drakh, taking into account the excelent resource book for the RPG and all it's extra ships, period League and Dilgar, a full re-write of the campaign rules, to give a more "masters of orion" feel in terms of gameplay, while retaining the B5 coolness, more special characters for other races, RETAIN fleet weaknesses - Lots of people want every ship for every fleet? whats the point, may as well all be EA variation, strenghts and weknesses make the game, and challenge your abilities. Re-iterate that this is a FLEET game, not a single ship game (unles you get a bizare scenario in a campaign and don't have the right ships to fit it). Improve boarding actions and planetary assaults making them more spectacular and interesting..

 

[Alexb83]

in the stealth inquiry scene, Sheridan asks what kind of tracking system they are using. When he finds that its the same one they had back in the war, it implies there's new systems that don't have this (or as much of) issue. Thats what I don't like about stealth.

Chern

Actually, I think he says that 'they used some kind of stealth technology we've never been able to break'. This actually does anything but imply that it's no longer an issue for them.
There were EA generals in the series IIRC who said that if the E-M war were re-played, they thought they could have won. Personally I think that could just be considered very wishfull Clarkist propaganda.

On the moving of fighter wings point - can flights not be squadroned together under the current rules, or is it only 'up to 6 ships'? rather than 'up to six ships or flights'? And can you squadron ships with supporting auxiliary craft?

 

[locarno24]

There were EA generals in the series IIRC who said that if the E-M war were re-played, they thought they could have won. Personally I think that could just be considered very wishfull Clarkist propaganda.

That, or bland stupidity. Some earthforce commanders just can't accept how badly the minbari outclassed them without even trying... even once the omega-class destroyers turned up....well.....three destroyers versus two warcruisers in Severed Dreams, and when Delenn says
"Sod Off. Now.", they turn tail and leg it.......

 

[Alexb83]

That, and I'm reminded of the Colonel who interrogated Sinclair in season 1 - when discussing the battle of the line 'perhaps they took one look at our defences and realised they couldn't win'

But then he was patently insane...

On the squadrons front, you can (under revised rules) put up to 9 flights in a squadron, but cannot mix these with ships. Since the rules have been updated since (from 3 ships to 6) you may be allowed more flights.

Given that it says you can't mix flights with ships for squadrons, I don't know if you can put supporting craft on squadroned ships. But then they're like sub-squadrons with the ships they're supporting, so they may not count. Will check on rulesmasters.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

That, or bland stupidity. Some earthforce commanders just can't accept how badly the minbari outclassed them without even trying... even once the omega-class destroyers turned up....well.....three destroyers versus two warcruisers in Severed Dreams, and when Delenn says
"Sod Off. Now.", they turn tail and leg it.......

It was two Omega destroyers and a Hyperion cruiser, opposed by three Sharlin war cruisers and a White Star. The EA force was hopelessly outclassed, out-gunned and out-numbered.

 

[emperorpenguin]

I apear to be the only one who likes the priority system, it's quick, easy, and is every bit as flawed as a points system.

RETAIN fleet weaknesses - Lots of people want every ship for every fleet? whats the point, .

I agree on both points. I LOVE the Priority Level system, it is innovative and very quick to use. As someone who has spent several years trying to fit his Dark Elf model collection into a 2000pt army list I know how fiddly points systems can be, and they are NOT balanced any more than a PL system.

Agreed again, A fleet's character is as much defined by what they don't have as what they do

 

[Alexb83]

Points systems are very imbalanced, it's true. If you look at Full Thrust, for example, and view their ship design costings, certain races get royally boned in points (mostly the Xenos) because they pay much more for basic propulsion systems, and weapons.

I think some people in the online community tried to work around this by creating a system where the 'non combat' systems onboard a ship were weighed against the combat systems on the ship to offset the cost. But then this had the net effect of making the small ships /really/ cheap, and the big ships /really/ expensive. So it just shifted the imbalance in a different direction.

I too like the PL system - I've had no trouble getting my head around it. And yes, all fleets should have weaknesses, in the same way that all should have strengths - and I think pretty much every fleet in ACTA has something unique in terms of both their strengths and weaknesses.

 

[philogara]

in the stealth inquiry scene, Sheridan asks what kind of tracking system they are using. When he finds that its the same one they had back in the war, it implies there's new systems that don't have this (or as much of) issue. Thats what I don't like about stealth.

Chern

Actually, I think he says that 'they used some kind of stealth technology we've never been able to break'. This actually does anything but imply that it's no longer an issue for them.

I though the line was "we were never able to break". My take on the conversation is the same as Chern's. The implication that EA has improved technology that can cope better. Based on screen evidence still wouldn't want to take on a Sharlin!

 

[emperorpenguin]

well in Armageddon you'll see that late era EA has gotten better at defeating stealth

 

[Alexb83]

in the stealth inquiry scene, Sheridan asks what kind of tracking system they are using. When he finds that its the same one they had back in the war, it implies there's new systems that don't have this (or as much of) issue. Thats what I don't like about stealth.

Chern

Actually, I think he says that 'they used some kind of stealth technology we've never been able to break'. This actually does anything but imply that it's no longer an issue for them.

I though the line was "we were never able to break". My take on the conversation is the same as Chern's. The implication that EA has improved technology that can cope better. Based on screen evidence still wouldn't want to take on a Sharlin!

No, the actual quote is 'we've never been able to break'. And it's backed up by JMS himself (from Lurker's guide):

"Correct above; Sheridan says, quite specifically, in the conference room with Ivanova after the Grey Council guy is gone, "they used some kind of stealth technology WE'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BREAK." It's not a matter of old or cheaper tech; we just haven't broken their technology yet."

"And believe me, as Sheridan stated, Earth's been *trying* to break the stealth tech for a while, just hasn't been able to."

And yes, it's strange that the EA in the Crusade era have made such technological leaps. I guess the HEL track on an armageddon ship isn't so much of an issue, as the Shadowtech explains it. And well... it's an armageddon ship, so how often are you going to face it?

But the Delphi is just obscene... why is it that only the EA seems to have benefitted to any degree (and then, by a massive degree) from ISA tech? They've basically got a whole new fleet of very nifty ships. I guess the G'vrahn shows a big leap for the Narn, but the Neroon is a bit retrograde for the Minbari. Shouldn't we be seeing Minbari ships with Vorlon adaptive armour or 6+ stealth, rather than just a few ships with advanced neutron cannons? They've had experience at building ships with both, and I can't believe they or any other of the older spacefaring races would sit idly by and let the EA overtake them.

 

[philogara]

I would
Give Abbai shields instead of interceptors, work the same except stop all attcks but wouldn't go very high eg Shields 3

Different flavour = good

Move and fire fighters in Wing sized groups.

Second that.

Scrap dogfight just have them shoot at each other instead.

The beuaty of the dogfight is less rolls (no dodges) and can give fighters a different feel i.e. some more capable as interceptors, others as anti-ship. You'd lose that with this.

Vorlons and Shadow would have varients. Shadows would have different sized ships.

I think Vorlons and Shadows need to come across as powerful as they do in the show.

Every race would have carrier and scout just some would be better.

Races would just be a variation on a theme. Bear in mind some of the league races are not large and would not necessarily have the resources to build the range of ships required. You would not expect every race to be ABLE to build a scout of worth.

Definately a points system over priority.

While points MIGHT make balancing easier, I don't think they are the panecea made out by some. I don't mind the PL system, though it is too coarse for my liking. Yes, not every ship is exactly balanced with others of the same PL, but we'd forever have arguements over "x ships point cos is too high".

a d10 system would be better (able to have more variation) but might have a coup against me for saying this.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes - you get the idea. (D6's should be banned from anything more serious than Yahtzee). As EP says, this has attracted some "robust" response in the past.

Would change the stealth works, go with either stealth save or more bulkhead hits idea and/or increase in hull if failed the stealth roll.

Don't know if there is a good idea how to represent stealth.

 

[emperorpenguin]

Personally I agree, I don't like the EA leapfrogs ahead idea, far too Star Trek humanocentric for me. (Big word )

 

[philogara]

I though the line was "we were never able to break". My take on the conversation is the same as Chern's. The implication that EA has improved technology that can cope better. Based on screen evidence still wouldn't want to take on a Sharlin!

No, the actual quote is 'we've never been able to break'. And it's backed up by JMS himself (from Lurker's guide):

"Correct above; Sheridan says, quite specifically, in the conference room with Ivanova after the Grey Council guy is gone, "they used some kind of stealth technology WE'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BREAK." It's not a matter of old or cheaper tech; we just haven't broken their technology yet."

"And believe me, as Sheridan stated, Earth's been *trying* to break the stealth tech for a while, just hasn't been able to."

And I thought I'd gleaned all I could from that site - time for some revision

Curious then as to why Sheridan bothers to inquire as to the sensors used. If he knows EA don't have anything capable (and given his interest in "black" projects, he might know somehting of such a ground breaking nature), why ask the question?

 

[Alexb83]

Perhaps he was just wondering if the station had been fitted with some sort of new sensors he hadn't heard about yet?

 

[Burger]

Curious then as to why Sheridan bothers to inquire as to the sensors used. If he knows EA don't have anything capable (and given his interest in "black" projects, he might know somehting of such a ground breaking nature), why ask the question?

For the benefit of the audience.

 

[Alexb83]

Curious then as to why Sheridan bothers to inquire as to the sensors used. If he knows EA don't have anything capable (and given his interest in "black" projects, he might know somehting of such a ground breaking nature), why ask the question?

For the benefit of the audience.

That sounds about right But thinking from his PoV - he's new to the station, he doesn't know if it is fitted with some uber-sensor suite that isn't on mainline warships. He's trying to explain why they can detect the Minbari whereas its normally impossible - he finds out that they've got normal EA sensors, so he deduces the Minbari must have their stealth fields turned off.

Again, it's EA players' wishful thinking that they could have overcome 1000 years of Minbari technology in just a few years of trying

 

[emperorpenguin]

Curious then as to why Sheridan bothers to inquire as to the sensors used. If he knows EA don't have anything capable (and given his interest in "black" projects, he might know somehting of such a ground breaking nature), why ask the question?

For the benefit of the audience.

yup I agree with Burger, same reason why Ivanova hadn't heard about his famous way of destroying the Black Star

 

[Burger]

same reason why Ivanova hadn't heard about his famous way of destroying the Black Star

I always thought that she had heard the official story, but wanted to hear him tell it directly. In case ISN left out any... details