New to the Game - B5:ACTA 2ed Rules Question

swordmaster

Mongoose
Picked up a few ACTA books: 2ed Rules; 1ed rules; and 1ed fleet list

When the rules talk about treating a fighter flight as a single weapon system, does that mean when the EA Thunderbolt Flight base attacks a ship it rolls 3 AD for its cannon and 2 AD for its missiles or do they multiply for each fighter? x6?

Same for a Starfury Flight 4 AD or 24 AD?

Thanks
 
The first is correct:

A thunderbolt flight would have 3AD for its cannon and 2 AD for its missiles.

You don't multiply for the fighters in the flight.

Any other queries drop us a post

:)
 
I have played only 1 game of this about a year and a half ago. It was the Hy1perion against the 2 Vorchans. I want to start playing again. I'll bite.

When you use interceptors do you add up the total on all dice rolled or is it per weapon. Also, do you roll a different color of dice to note which weapons are fired?

Could you give me multiple examples of 2 ships firing at each other. Please make each of the 2 ships completly different with each example having different special weapons and traits for each ship.

I see on page 25 of the 2nd edition rules the phases of which a ship fires. Is this per weapon or per total of all weapons fired? Thats one of the worst things that confused us when we played the 1 example game.
 
Da Boss said:
The first is correct:

A thunderbolt flight would have 3AD for its cannon and 2 AD for its missiles.

You don't multiply for the fighters in the flight.

Any other queries drop us a post

:)

Thanks Boss, I appreciate it.

We are going to paint up some odds and ends ships and give it a try in the next week or so.
 
Zarash said:
When you use interceptors do you add up the total on all dice rolled or is it per weapon. Also, do you roll a different color of dice to note which weapons are fired?

Each weapon is fired in turn. You could use different coloured dice, or simply do one after the other. Similar weapons can usually be thrown all together, however some defensive traits work on each weapon separately.

Could you give me multiple examples of 2 ships firing at each other. Please make each of the 2 ships completly different with each example having different special weapons and traits for each ship.

Oh boy.

Ok, a Hyperion lines up a boresight on a Vorchan. It is 8" away.

It fires:
Heavy laser cannon: roles 4AD, it is a beam so it hits on 4s, 1,3,4,6. The 4 and 6 are rerolled and get 2,5. and rerolled 4 and again 4 and 2. Total of 5 hits. The Vorchan has no defences. Roll on the attack table: 1,2,3,4,6.
The 1 is a bulkhead. This is double damage so it scores 1 damage point (no crew).
The 2,3,4 are standard hits, but doubled. Doing 6 damage, 6 crew.
The 6 is a crit. Doing 2 damage & 2 crew to start. Then a roll on the crit table, 1,4. Engines - thrusters damaged. 2 more damage (doubled form the weapon trait) & -2 speed.

Or if you were watching it happen:
rolls, rolls, rolls
"5 hits"
rolls
"9 damage and 8 crew to start and a crit."
rolls
"Engine"
rolls
"thrusters, -1 speed, 2 more damage."

Now the Hyperion fires its medium pulse cannon.
4AD, no traits.
Rolls 4 dice, needs 5 to hit (The Vorchan's hull). Rolls 1,2,3,4, Misses!

And its Plasma Cannon:
4AD, AP Twin-Linked.
It needs 4 to hit (-1 for AP) and rerolls misses.
1,2,3,4 again! 1 hit and rerolls the 3 dice that miss. 4,5,6. 4 Hits!
Rolls on the attack table: 1,2,4,6
1 is abulkhead and does no damage.
2,4 are standard hits. So 2 damage, 2 crew.
6 is a crit. 1 damage, 1 crew and rolling on the crit table - 1,1 Engines power relays. No extra damage and -1 speed.
The -1 speed has no extra effect on the Vorchan since it already has a -2 speed crit, but it will have to repair both to get back to full speed.
A total of 3 damage and 3 crew from that weapon.

So the Vorchan took 14 damage and 11 crew and two speed crits. Just enough to crippple it!

And in the Hyperion's side arc is one flight of sentris that survived its anti-fighter earlier in the turn.
It fires its pulse cannon AD at them.
8AD needing 4 (sentri hull).
1,2,3,4,5,6,6,6 - 5 hits.
The sentri needs to make 5 dodges at 2+. It rolls 1,2,3,4,5 - that one 1 means it taks a hit and being a fighter, it is destroyed.

--------------

A Second Vorchan fires back at the Hyperion

Ion cannon: 8AD double damage twin linked.
Needs 5 (hyperion hull) and rerolls.
1,2,4,4,5,6,6,6 rerolls 4 dice: 1,2,5,6 . 6 hits.
Now the hyperion's inteceptors activate.
The work against each dice in turn, needing 2,3,4....
(2)rolls 2,4 - 1 hit stopped.
(3)rolls 2,4 - - hit stopped but 1 interceptor depleted
(4) rolls, 5 - 1 hit stopped
(5) rolls 4 - hit through. Interceptors dpleted bit still stop on 6.
Rolls 3,4 for remaining hits so they are through.

3 hits through. Rolls 2, 3,6 on attck table. (doubling the resulting damage)
4 damage 4 crew from standard hits.
2 damage, 2 crew form crit, plus a roll of 3,4. 2 more damage and two more crew and loss of a random trait.
The hyperion has 3 traits, so a trait is rolled at random and it is interceptors. It's interceptors are damaged, which is a stroke of luck. The Vorchan will now get to fire its plasmas accelerator and the hyperion won't be able to intercept. (It would have been interceptiong on 6's).

Plasma accelerator: 4AD SAP, DD. hits on 3 (hyperion hull -2 for Super
AP)....

------
I hope that helps.

[Editted to correct errors :oops: ]
 
Yes, that helps greatly. Thanks, all rulebooks should have examples like this in them. I have a few more questions not meaning to hijack your thread swordmaster. Also, welcome to the game. This may help you as much as it does me right now.

On your first example with the heavy laser cannon does the crit not cause the extra -1 for damage and it says 0 for crew? So the double damage would be 2 and also the -1 to damage for a total of 3?

Lets say for example the Fuel Systems Ruptured crit would have came up instead of the Thrusters Damaged crit how is the -2damage and -1crew handled with the beam trait?

Quoting not sure how to make the box that quotes
And in the Hyperion's side arc is one flight of sentris that survived its anti-fighter earlier in the turn.
It fires its pulse cannon AD at them.
8AD needing 4 (sentri hull) and rerolling.
1,2,3,4,5,6,6,6 - 5 hits.

Where does the Rerolling come in? Do you mean that since the anti-fighter trait did not take it out that you are rerolling with the pulse cannon to try to take it out?
 
if its a double damage weapon then all damage is doubled whether the initial or anything off the crit chart, so if a crit causes one extra damage and its a double damage weapon then it becomes 4 damage. this also applies to crew damage from the hits and crits etc.
apply the same idea to triple or quad damage weapons.

also note that even if you roll a 1 for damage (a bulkhead), a double damage weapon does 1 damage, no crew
 
Lets say for example the Fuel Systems Ruptured crit would have came up instead of the Thrusters Damaged crit how is the -2damage and -1crew handled with the beam trait?

The double damage trait (not the beam trait) doubles everything, including additioanl damage from crits. So it would be -4 damage, -2 crew.

Zarash said:
8AD needing 4 (sentri hull) and rerolling.
1,2,3,4,5,6,6,6 - 5 hits.

Where does the Rerolling come in? Do you mean that since the anti-fighter trait did not take it out that you are rerolling with the pulse cannon to try to take it out?

Nope, my mistake. I had it in my head the pulse cannons were twin-linked. They are not, so no reroll.
 
Ohh I am getting 11 damage on the first example so it was messing me up. The crit should be doing 4 damage by your example katadder. 2 for the initial roll on the table then 2 more when the crit resolves. So 1 for the bulkhead hit ,6 for reg hits, and 2 for the roll on crit table then 2 more when the crit resolves. So 1+ 6+2+2 =11

Quote:
Or if you were watching it happen:
rolls, rolls, rolls
"5 hits"
rolls
"9 damage and 8 crew to start and a crit."
rolls
"Engine"
rolls
"thrusters, -1 speed, 2 more damage."

Katadder by your reasoning this is how it should read right?
Or if you were watching it happen:
rolls, rolls, rolls
"5 hits"
rolls
"9 damage and 8 crew to start and a crit."
rolls
"Engine"
rolls
"thrusters, -1 speed, 2 more damage."
"adds up the 9 damage + the 2 more damage for the thrusters hit for a total of 11 damage"

This should be 11 damage correct? 9+2 for the thrusters crit?

Now lets say for example and I hope I get this correct you had a Fuel Systems Ruptured crit instead of the Thrusters damaged crit it would be like this?

Or if you were watching it happen:
rolls, rolls, rolls
"5 hits"
rolls
"9 damage and 8 crew to start and a crit."
rolls
"Engine"
rolls
" Ruptured -4 speed 4 more damage and 2 more crew"
"adds up the 9 damage and 4 damage for the crit for 13 damage and adds up the 8 crew and 2 crew for the crit for 10 crew"

At the end example with the plasma cannon and the Thrusters crit it reads as 12 damage.

The total at the end should be 14 damage correct? 11 instead of the 9 + 3. Am I correct or am I all wrong with my reasoning?

Not meaning any disrespect to Greg Smith. It was just messing me up with the example on the crit. This is why I like examples it really helps me learn the basics.
 
Zarash said:
Yes, that helps greatly. Thanks, all rulebooks should have examples like this in them. I have a few more questions not meaning to hijack your thread swordmaster. Also, welcome to the game. This may help you as much as it does me right now.

No problem Zarash, it's all in the learning curve.

I have a question that pertains to splitting fire. I know that weapons with multiple AD can split their fire between targets within their arc (targets nominated before firing). In the case of Missile Racks with 2 AD and the 'Slow Loading' trait, can you fire 1 and on the next turn while the 1 is being reloaded fire the other? -- or -- do both have to fire at the same time?

I realize this may be a question between the Spirit of the Game and manipulating the rules mechanics.
 
Zarash said:
This should be 11 damage correct? 9+2 for the thrusters crit?

That is correct.

Now lets say for example and I hope I get this correct you had a Fuel Systems Ruptured crit instead of the Thrusters damaged crit it would be like this?

Or if you were watching it happen:
rolls, rolls, rolls
"5 hits"
rolls
"9 damage and 8 crew to start and a crit."
rolls
"Engine"
rolls
" Ruptured -4 speed 4 more damage and 2 more crew"
"adds up the 9 damage and 4 damage for the crit for 13 damage and adds up the 8 crew and 2 crew for the crit for 10 crew"

That is also correct.

At the end example with the plasma cannon and the Thrusters crit it reads as 12 damage.

The total at the end should be 14 damage correct? 11 instead of the 9 + 3. Am I correct or am I all wrong with my reasoning?

You are correct. You spotted my second deliberate mistake. :oops:

14 Damage is in fact enough to cripple the Vorchan, which wouldn't then be able to fire both weapons in reply.

I have been back and corrected my example.
 
swordmaster said:
I have a question that pertains to splitting fire. I know that weapons with multiple AD can split their fire between targets within their arc (targets nominated before firing). In the case of Missile Racks with 2 AD and the 'Slow Loading' trait, can you fire 1 and on the next turn while the 1 is being reloaded fire the other? -- or -- do both have to fire at the same time?

If you fire 1AD, the weapon counts as having fired. So you then can't fire on the following turn.

It isn't actually against the spirit of the rules - if you split a 2ADmissile rack against two stealth targets, you may actually end up firing the one that sees its target and not the other, which doesn't.
 
A few more questions. On page 30 in the rulebook is shows 2 flights basing 1 flight.

1. Do the 2 Cent flights have to support each other or can they attack seperate? If they can attack seperate do you normally attack seperate or support or is it all situational?

2. Does Stealth stop Emines? I would say no since your not targeting a ship. I am thinking the slow loading and one shot reference givien are for missle weapons. Do ships have to be fully within the 3 inch circle to be attacked or does it just need to be touching the circle? Since you measure from the stem of a ship does just the stem need to be in the circle?

3. On turn 3 a Vorlon ship takes a critical. Does it get repaired at the end of the end phase of turn 3 or the end phase of turn 4? The fleet book reads like it would be at the end of turn 4, but I just wanted to check it.

4. Do the Vorlons have a Raid ship?

5. Has anyone made critical tokens to place by ships when they take crits? If so could you post a link? Do you just write it down on a ship sheet instead of using token? Has anyone made special action tokens as well?

6. Has anyone made a quick reference sheet for different things about the game? Like a easy to look at page to save from flipping through alot of pages in the book?

For example a sheet something like:

Crippled: Turns reduced to 45 degrees, One fewer turns, SM to 2/45, Speed by half, roll dice for every trait 4 + trait lost, 1 weapon per fire arc

Skeleton Crew: No special actions, One wep fired per turn, -2 Dam Contrl checks, troops halved round down

7. What priority level and ship points are the norm for about a 2 hour game? What Priority and point value is normally used?
 
Zarash said:
A few more questions. On page 30 in the rulebook is shows 2 flights basing 1 flight.

1. Do the 2 Cent flights have to support each other or can they attack seperate? If they can attack seperate do you normally attack seperate or support or is it all situational?

One supports the oher. They do not attack separately.

2. Does Stealth stop Emines? I would say no since your not targeting a ship. I am thinking the slow loading and one shot reference givien are for missle weapons. Do ships have to be fully within the 3 inch circle to be attacked or does it just need to be touching the circle? Since you measure from the stem of a ship does just the stem need to be in the circle?

The stem has to be in the circle. Stealth does not apply. However the e-mine attack does count for breaking stealth to give the rest of the fleet a bonus.

3. On turn 3 a Vorlon ship takes a critical. Does it get repaired at the end of the end phase of turn 3 or the end phase of turn 4? The fleet book reads like it would be at the end of turn 4, but I just wanted to check it.

Turn 4, you are correct.

4. Do the Vorlons have a Raid ship?

A frigate. It is in P&P.

5. Has anyone made critical tokens to place by ships when they take crits? If so could you post a link? Do you just write it down on a ship sheet instead of using token? Has anyone made special action tokens as well?

I don't know about crit tokens. We just write it on the sheet. Gale Force 9 made special action tokens.


6. Has anyone made a quick reference sheet for different things about the game? Like a easy to look at page to save from flipping through alot of pages in the book?

Take a look at the new player resources thread. There are several.

7. What priority level and ship points are the norm for about a 2 hour game? What Priority and point value is normally used?

Probably 5 point raid. As you get used to the game, remember the rules, and remember your own ship stats, etc you can probably do a 5 point battle in 2 hours. However, the more ships you have, the longer it takes. Also some races are quick to play - ie Vorlons, while the Gaim take a long time.
 
Thanks again Greg. I looked at the new player resources and some of the links are broke. You do have a good sheet linked in one of your posts tho :) .

I have found some stuff I have downloaded over time just lurking here. I have the P&P playtest rules actually downloaded from here before they were official and did not even realise it.

Was the Vorlon frigate changed any from the play test to the actual book? The dl's for the playtest rules were in 11 parts it looks like. I don't think I will be able to purchase a P&P book. For some reason I dled 2 to 11 and don't have 1. I am not sure why I bothered dling 2-11 but did not get 1 ohh well.

My brother wants to use the Vorlons if we play thats why I am wondering about them. I have looked at them and for one of the oldest races in the galaxy their attacks look subpar compaired to the rest of the B5 ships.

My rulebook is falling apart, and I can't find another for replacement so I am considering just cutting out the rest of the pages and putting them in a folder. One of the last pages in the fleet book is starting to come out so I hope that its not going to do the same thing.
 
Burger's ship viewer is here: http://www.ibisfightclub.co.uk/

It includes all the changes to ships from P&P, including the Vorlon frigate.
 
Zarash said:
My brother wants to use the Vorlons if we play thats why I am wondering about them. I have looked at them and for one of the oldest races in the galaxy their attacks look subpar compaired to the rest of the B5 ships.
Yes, but their defences are superior. Adaptive armour all round, and the ancients crit repair system. They're quite manouverable too, most of the lower level ships have 1/90 turns and decent speeds. Weapons although low in AD, are all precise beams which is a very good combo. Their fighters are very good against other fighters (they have AAF trait) and can take down enemy ships from outside AF range.

However they do have their weaknesses: no weapons in side or rear arcs, limited set of special actions, and no carrier being the main ones.
 
Only in sense that mutiple scout locks will give re-rolls to more than one weapon system.

Mutiple Scoutings do not continue to reduce Stealth. However it might be worth having mutiple scouts reduce a ships stealth in case one scout is destroyed (as its advantages immediately go)

:)
 
Scout trait does not stack either with itself or with other sources of re-rolls, e.g. twin-linked weapons or the "Concentrate All Firepower" special action. Regardless of source, you can only get one re-roll. And, as Da Boss says, regardless of how many scouts are used on the same ship, you still only get +1 to break its stealth. Multiple scouts mean you get +1 to break its stealth and a re-roll for one or more weapon systems.
 
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