Playtest Rules Space Stations

[Grunvald]

I'm not too keen on artificial limits on modules myself. They start causing awkward questions too quickly (like "Why?"), and make the game feel artificial. How about though splitting hardpoints into surface points and internal points. This feels like a more natural way to limit which items are using which points.

Weapons for the most part will use up surface points, so this will limit the number of them which can be placed on a space station. Hangers might be a mix of surface points (for the launch mechanisms), and internal points (for the hangers). Medbays, training facilities and the like can purely use internal points.

Limiting weapons to "surface" points does not limit the number of weapon modules you can take, unless the core station has a limit on how many you can take in the first place!

Hangers if they are a mix of "surface" and "internal" points then becomes too confusing having to work out more numbers and having to split things, instead of trying to keep things simple!

Nice idea but you dont like the idea of limiting modules in the first place but your suggestion still creates uber powerful, over balanced stations, unloess you have limits in the first place!

 

[nekomata fuyu]

Whoever said anything about not having limits? I only said about having limits that make some kind of sense. Limits that make sense are preferable to artificial limits as they make it easier to get into the game, rather than treating it as an exercise of MathHammer(tm).
Say you have a station core with 20 internal hardpoints(IHP) and 10 surface hardpoints(SHP). How can you say that it won't limit the number of weapons? It limits you to 10 hardpoints worth of weapons if weapons can only be placed on surface points. Hangers may well have a value of 1IHP and 1SHP, which is hardly confusing to anyone who already has enough math ability to play the game anyway.

 

[Grunvald]

Your post read like you didn't want limits, just change to internal and exteral points, and limiting number of weapons etc to a station makes perfect sense!

How much power to number of weapons, equipment, etc!

How Big a station to how many mounts and Modules can actually fit to a station!

 

[nekomata fuyu]

Which is exactly what the artificial limits do not do. The artificial limits I was reading about said more along the lines of "you have 30 hardpoints, but you can't use more than 15 of them for offensive weaponry, 15 for defensive weaponry, or 15 for support systems".
This sort of limit just starts begging the question of "Why?". Why can't I put extra weapons into those hardpoints? It's not because of power, because I can just use some of the extra space for more power generators. It's not because of mounts because the mounts are there and I'm asking why I can't use them.

Sometimes you need artificial limits in games, but when you can use natural limits instead, I find that the natural limits tend to be preferable.

 

[Grunvald]

Please read previous post's

Limiting on Offensive, Defensive modules!
Use of Misc Modules!

Ideas for possible race specific Core's!

 

[Da Boss]

Problem is at pesent the Space Station rules are totally busted - Grunvald and others are doing a good job of trying to make the (cool) idea actually usable.

I think Katadder (who is of course correctly in a more influential postion) is also working on them still? But it seems a huge task.

Can he or the PTB give us any clue if these attempts are helping / being used / on the right track?

 

[Grunvald]

Presently sitting back and like you waiting for the PTB to give us a clue as to what is happening with the Station rules!

No point in trying anything else till we know we have been going in the right direction!!

 

[Silvereye]

Another idea or two for the pot, and some comments.

Stations in Scenarios: I'd actually try limit the scenarios that you can field a station in. Lets face it your not going attack a merchant convoy that's just left one, you'd wait until it was hours/days away and attempting to haul a station through a jump gate is doomed to fail. I'd also limit the choice of incorporating a station into a fleet to the defender in the scenario, with perhaps the exception of a blockade run.

Hardpoints: I'm with Grunvald. I cant really see any difference between Internal/External or Offensive/Defensive/Misc. posted earlier.

Arcs: I'd definitely stick to T arcs, rather than individual FPAS. Fluff-wise some races will still be using rotating stations to generate gravity, some would be static in space as they have artificial gravity. Keeps things simple.

Centauri Specifics - Guardian array: I'd be kind of wary as to allowing a Station to loan interceptors, just simply because of the different mechanics involved, especially due to the fact that you can choose to spend interceptors from the station pool when you want.

 

[Grunvald]

The Guardian array on the core for the centauri was just an idea, if anyone else has a race specific idea for them please feel free to give it!

Besides it is not that much different from the Escort Trait!

Would say that after allocation of Int AD you cant give any more to that ship or take back etc!

 

[katadder]

and anything more than 3 on a ship can be a waste anyway. obviously if loaned to a ship would work as per ship interceptors not station ones.

 

[Grunvald]

Think that was put a little better than i did tks!

 

[Da Boss]

Katadder how goes your version? - are we helping or hindering the official version - it is being changed right (please God) - looks for hopeful / desperate emote........ :wink:

 

[katadder]

my version of stations? dont think they going anywhere. also dunno about stations haven't asked about them (also dont want to step on peoples toes).
I believe matt is planning an update after gencon UK. wether thats a general release update or not I dont know any more than you guys and we will have to wait and see.

 

[Da Boss]

Ok thanks

 

[Silvereye]

The Guardian array on the core for the centauri was just an idea, if anyone else has a race specific idea for them please feel free to give it!

Besides it is not that much different from the Escort Trait!

No, you can actually do it as it stands just by adding a Traffic Protection Module to a Centauri core within v1.1. The Station then fits all the prerequisites for the Guardian Array rules.

 

[Grunvald]

Well with Gen Com starting today till sunday with a bit of luck an update maybe Monday/Tuesday.

Gives me plenty of rest to get my back better!!!

 

[BabCom]

Has anyone done B4 with the rules yet.?

 

[Grunvald]

Unlikely to happen just yet as these rules arnt even completed yet!

Still waiting on a update or some word from PTB before we go any further!!!

And fingers crossed that it will be very VERY soon!!!

 

[tschuma]

Couple of questions about Space Stations

Can they be nominated as a initiative sink during the movement phase?

Can they fire their weapons at any time in the firing phase?

Someoen in our group stated that they fired last in the firing phase becasue they are immoble, but on a quick look thoguh the rules, I could not find it.

Thanks

 

[Greg Smith]

The only things which fire last are defence sattelites in planetary assaults.

Space stations should not be nominated in the movement phase since they cannot move and cannot perform special actions.

They fire at any point in the firing phase.

Does this need to be explicitly written into the rules do you think?