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

[Target]

I would
Give Abbai shields instead of interceptors, work the same except stop all attcks but wouldn't go very high eg Shields 3
Move and fire fighters in Wing sized groups.
Scrap dogfight just have them shoot at each other instead.
Vorlons and Shadow would have varients. Shadows would have different sized ships.
Every race would have carrier and scout just some would be better.
Definately a points system over priority.
a d10 system would be better (able to have more variation) but might have a coup against me for saying this.
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. Would be easier to implement with d10 system.
Mimbari stealth would have a attack that could remove a random trait from a ship within a certain range, maybe roll to hit then an opposed roll.
More SA's that wouldn't handicap boresight ships as they already are.
Boresight ships would get more powerful beams which would be easier with d10 system, fwd arc beam might +3, DD while boresight +4 DD.
Probably have more but think of them at moment.
Back to building my Doomsday weapon
It could be a thing called a " Laser " but im not telling.

 

[mthomason]

Disclaimer: all comments following are intended in a friendly, inquisitive manner

Move and fire fighters in Wing sized groups.

This sounds interesting...

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

The only way I'd want to see this done is variants from a previous age.

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

I'm not a big fan of the "every race should have" argument so I need persuading here - why should every race have a carrier and a scout?

Definately a points system over priority.

A resounding yes from me on this one.

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

I don't see why people wouldn't like this (interested to hear opinions though!)

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. Would be easier to implement with d10 system.

Stealth save sounds like an interesting avenue to explore. Canon tells us that the Minbari ships were just about impossible to target, so it ought to reflect that. On the other hand, it ought to be balanced out so that newer ships have some method to combat it. Therefore the stealth "save" system would need to allow more advanced ships to bypass it to a degree (completely in the case of Vorlons, Shadows, and Ancients), and
Minbari vs Minbari should effectively cancel each others stealth out.

Mimbari stealth would have a attack that could remove a random trait from a ship within a certain range, maybe roll to hit then an opposed roll.

Not quite sure on the reasoning behind this... why?

 

[Chernobyl]

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

 

[Target]

Just that the Promentheus ( damn can't spell it) it's jump engines were offline because of the stealth, thought it could be interesting. Maybe some traits couldn't be effected. Just added it in for giggles really.
Hopefully other people post their ideas up it would be interesting to see what other people think would make the game the best ever invented.

 

[Target]

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

Maybe newer ships should be like the Nemesis with a bonus to by pass stealth but suspect that would only work under a d10 system as well.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

Incidentally, much of the difficulty the Prometheus experienced was due to the Minbari's sensors putting out so much EM radiation they jammed the Prometheus' systems.

 

[Reaverman]

Personally I dont think a D0 system is needed for this game, its going back to the 'Bigger Hammer" theory. The way the system works, with traits are sufficient for the current D6 system. From the Mongoose open day earlier this year, Matt Sprange in front of a lot of witnesses said categorically there would not be a change to the dice system.

As for the stealth system, I actually think the Revised edition of rules for Stealth were good enough. Armageddon has nerfed them, Minbari vessels get ganked at close quarters.

 

[Wulf Corbett]

I would...
...Probably have more but think of them at moment.

Hmm... well, some and some 8)

Wulf

 

[Karhedron]

I would make the different fleets more balanced at different levels. I don't buy the reasoning that some fleets do better at certain PLs. In a properly balanced system, no fleet should start a battle with an inherent advantage. Not everyone has the opportunity to play campaigns so in a one off War PL game, EA vs Minbari should still be a fair match.

 

[angelus2000]

1. Creation of more fighter specific rules IE movement, weapons, hit allocation, SA's.
2. More PL's and usage of the mainline/specialist designations
3. Rebalanced ship designs and fleet lists
4. More SA's
5. More special characters
6. Redisgn of some baseline ships stats. I.E. Weapons that cover F/P or F/S arcs but more AD to compensate for loss of whole systems.

7. A lot of other things ive vaugley thought of but not through

 

[Wulf Corbett]

I would make the different fleets more balanced at different levels. I don't buy the reasoning that some fleets do better at certain PLs. In a properly balanced system, no fleet should start a battle with an inherent advantage.

Nope, I really can't agree on this one. To retain the character and theme of some fleets, there HAS to be some area of specialisation in some fleets. Minbari specialise in big, expensive ships (and fighters), Drazi in small, fast ships with too many weapons (and I still hate the idea of a War PL Drazi ships), etc. Give everyone ships that do everything at every level and the whole thing gets bland.

Wulf

 

[Geekybiker]

I would make the different fleets more balanced at different levels. I don't buy the reasoning that some fleets do better at certain PLs. In a properly balanced system, no fleet should start a battle with an inherent advantage.

Nope, I really can't agree on this one. To retain the character and theme of some fleets, there HAS to be some area of specialisation in some fleets. Minbari specialise in big, expensive ships (and fighters), Drazi in small, fast ships with too many weapons (and I still hate the idea of a War PL Drazi ships), etc. Give everyone ships that do everything at every level and the whole thing gets bland.

Wulf

That's not what he's asking for.

Minbari can have lots of choices at war level where other races have just a couple, but the point is that a war ship has to equal a war ship no matter the race. Its not a matter or flavor, its a matter of balance.

 

[Wulf Corbett]

That's not what he's asking for.

You think? That's what I read.

Minbari can have lots of choices at war level where other races have just a couple, but the point is that a war ship has to equal a war ship no matter the race. Its not a matter or flavor, its a matter of balance.

Now, I can only agree with that one so far either. A War ship should have the same value IN A FLEET as any other, but any individual War PL ship need not be equal to any other. Every ship has a place in a fleet, some have no place at all on their own.

Wulf

 

[Xorrandor]

I would make the different fleets more balanced at different levels. I don't buy the reasoning that some fleets do better at certain PLs.

Wouldn't a point system take care of most of this? Without the non-linear cost function, higher PLs just mean more points to spend. And if the points are balanced for 1000 point games, aren't they just as balanced for 2000 point games?

 

[mthomason]

Minbari can have lots of choices at war level where other races have just a couple, but the point is that a war ship has to equal a war ship no matter the race. Its not a matter or flavor, its a matter of balance.

Now, I can only agree with that one so far either. A War ship should have the same value IN A FLEET as any other, but any individual War PL ship need not be equal to any other. Every ship has a place in a fleet, some have no place at all on their own.

The way I see this: it's perfectly legitimate for the only ship a particular fleet has at War level to be, say, a carrier that doesn't stand a chance against a war-level battlecruiser from another race. As long as the first race has something else that war point can buy (which doesn't necessarily have to be at war-level) that does stand a chance against a war-level battlecruiser. Making players think about how to spend those points rather than automatically spending them on ships only at the given level is an important tactical decision to be made in ship choice. If the player had five war points and took five carriers because "there was nothing else at war level", when they could instead of fielded a couple of carriers and six smaller cruisers (for example) then they pretty much deserve to lose for making a bad strategic decision before the game even started. If the game on the other hand doesn't give them any way to spend that point on any ships (at any level(s)) that could take on an opposing war-level ship, thats when the fleet could possibly be deemed too inflexible and in need of another choice or two.

 

[Xorrandor]

That's not what he's asking for.

You think? That's what I read.

I read it as him wanting the fleets to be balanced at every PL a game could have. So a Minbari War fleet vs. a Drazi War fleet would be balanced, as would a Minbari Patrol fleet vs. a Drazi Patrol fleet. Doesn't require the lists to be identical. It is a hard trick, though; I'd settle for Battle and Raid being well balanced, with War being decently balanced, and the small 2 taking up the slack. Who really wants to play small ACtA games anyway?

Minbari can have lots of choices at war level where other races have just a couple, but the point is that a war ship has to equal a war ship no matter the race. Its not a matter or flavor, its a matter of balance.

Now, I can only agree with that one so far either. A War ship should have the same value IN A FLEET as any other, but any individual War PL ship need not be equal to any other. Every ship has a place in a fleet, some have no place at all on their own.

Agreed. It's what makes the above hard, though.

 

[emperorpenguin]

I agree with Karhedron on all PLs being balanced

 

[Target]

Personally I dont think a D0 system is needed for this game, its going back to the 'Bigger Hammer" theory. The way the system works, with traits are sufficient for the current D6 system. From the Mongoose open day earlier this year, Matt Sprange in front of a lot of witnesses said categorically there would not be a change to the dice system.
quote]
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.

 

[emperorpenguin]

I see the advantage in d10, but when I mentioned it months ago I got clobbered

It is called stealth on screen which is the best reason for continuing to call it that

 

[mthomason]

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.

If you don't mind the added complication (and I have to say I don't like complication), give some ships an ECM rating and ECCM rating... (in a lot of cases this may well be 0)