New Beam rules.

[Stonehorse]

They may be still in the procces of play testing these, but I have to say these sound like the perfect solution to Beam.

It makes Hull 4 ships worthwhile, where as before super AP Beam weapons were needing 2+ to hit with the first roll.

Looking forward to using my Minbari in august.

 

[Obsidian]

The funny thing is that this is basically the Accurate trait coming back again. Difference being that it is a 4+ instead of a 3+. It will be very interesting to see how the Minbari get tweaked as a result of this rule. definite reduction in AD all around for beams. I'm a little scared to think about what squadrons of White stars will now be able to do with their neutron cannons.

So now I need to go off and start tweaking the Combat sim to allow for the new rules. Should have a version that allows you to turn on the new rules in a week or two. Stats certainly won't line up with what is ging to eventually be published, but it could give people a good feel for which ships are going to get AD downgrades.

 

[LordClammy]

are you going to enlighten us about the rules ? or is there somewhere we can see them ?

 

[Obsidian]

Signs and Portents 43 (http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/sp43war.pdf)

 

[Abraxas]

Thanks.

Now I just need a Drahk Mothership...

 

[CZuschlag]

Don't. The nature of the changes to Beam will require a fundamental re-evaluation of several ships from the Drakh stable, in particular the Heavy Raider, the Fast Destroyer, and all the Heavy Hangar ships.

The Light Raider looks to be getting a major upgunning in all this, too. At least, as long as it's not Mini-beam.

The Drakh could be very, very -- very different in V2.

 

[Celisasu]

So the Narn damage scores will rise even more than they have already. My concern is that we'll have a whole swarm of T'Loths. Crazy damage scores but useless in battle. Here's hoping not. Although at least beam weapons will hate them. :lol:

 

[Ripple]

Truly concerned about beam...

Before beams rarely 'rolled-up' to any significant degree, once or twice a game someone pulled a real string of 6s. Now I am worried that the 'roll-up' being much easier will happen more often. On average across a game or two it should work out, but the incidence of the big stack roll will likely be quite a bit higher.

(My stats could be off, just going by my experience with whitestars at the 4+ dodge. The game feels much more luck dependent without the inherent reducing of the chance for the long chain of hits.)

Ripple

 

[CZuschlag]

Ripple -- yes, in one sense, you are spot on -- the Standard Deviation for this is fairly significant compared to the previous Beam mechanism. I could probably calculate it for you right on the fly, except my calculus current sucks. Too early in the AM --- sorry.

I do know that an average is easy to calculate. It's, on average, 1 hit per beam die.

The Avioki's Graviton beams might get really, really ..... REALLY nasty this time around.

 

[Reaverman]

Ripple -- yes, in one sense, you are spot on -- the Standard Deviation for this is fairly significant compared to the previous Beam mechanism. I could probably calculate it for you right on the fly, except my calculus current sucks. Too early in the AM --- sorry.

I do know that an average is easy to calculate. It's, on average, 1 hit per beam die.

The Avioki's Graviton beams might get really, really ..... REALLY nasty this time around.

Sod that, I'm more worried about the Prefects and Tertious Beam teams

Oh, and not forgetting the Narn Bat Squads

 

[Da Boss]

Prefect is gone - previous thread

 

[Reaverman]

Prefect is gone - previous thread

You mean its gone from the next Edition of the rules, dont you?

 

[Da Boss]

sorry my bad- yes in 2nd ed - one of the playtesters said it in the "prefect problem" thread further down.....

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

Assuming the balancing of Beam AD is a slight reduction southward for some of the more dice heavy ships, I can see this working out quite nicely. Certainly equalises the defeciency in Narn and White Star beams.

 

[Triggy]

Truly concerned about beam...

Before beams rarely 'rolled-up' to any significant degree, once or twice a game someone pulled a real string of 6s. Now I am worried that the 'roll-up' being much easier will happen more often. On average across a game or two it should work out, but the incidence of the big stack roll will likely be quite a bit higher.

(My stats could be off, just going by my experience with whitestars at the 4+ dodge. The game feels much more luck dependent without the inherent reducing of the chance for the long chain of hits.)

Ripple

It's not just you - several of us are concerned at this but it's something that is/has been in discussion anyway. We'll try to make sure it's something people like by the time it's done.

 

[emperorpenguin]

you can get a big roll of 4+s but in practice it is very rare. I was sceptical of the new beams when we started playtesting them but I've been won over, they really help to promote the use of lower hulled ships and they are quicker and simpler to use.

 

[Jhary]

I´m in and out this 4+ as long you hit (if i understand the rule right) is more powerfull then this rolling up.
On the other side me Vree are by both ways deathtraps with Hull 4
So i wait an give it an try. Theire is then still the way to ad TM to youre Fleet.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

At first glance this will make all beams more powerful, but it will also make low-hull ships useful against beam-carriers. A bit like the lances in BFG. Of course, like the BFG lances, the 4+ to-hit number is totally arbitary and bears no relation whatsoever to the target being fired at.

As an abstract game mechanic, it's ok, but it's grossly unrealistic. Why should a deadly, focused particle beam have the same effect on an unarmoured ship as it does on one loaded down with so much armour plate it masses the same as a small moon? The armoured ship should be better protected than the unarmoured one, no matter what weapon is being pointed at it...

 

[Valen is my name]

i think it makes the game a little less beams against low hull orientated which is good

 

[Da Boss]

IIRC the BFG Lances were one shot except for Eldar (both kinds) and they were limited to 3 hits.

However most beams (from whoever) that hit non ancient ships in the show cut them in half etc so maybe they should be this nasty?