Shadow cloud

[Sulfurdown]

Quick double check on how the ancients work. In campaigns the Shadows and Vorlons cost twice as much per ship as a normal vessel. Space stations, according to SFoS cost three times as much as a ship of it's priority level. So does that mean that a Shadow Cloud purchased in a campaign would cost 240 RR points :?:
(armageddon = 40 * 3 * 2)

 

[Jetbaker]

YAR!!!

totally not worth it as it can only be used in a few scenarios

 

[Morakas]

Twice in SFoS space stations are listed as 2x cost. Listed once as 3x cost. We use 2x cost. I'm currently playing in 5th campaign and ran one that needed a non playing ref due to hidden movement and other such things. We are currently using the following costs for new ships:

Patrol 5
Skirmish 10
Raid 15
Battle 20
War 30
Armageddon 40

We put a higher cost on war and armageddon level due to not all races involved having those levels of nasty ships.

 

[Valen is my name]

how long would the campaign have to be to get 240 RR points without needing to spend some on repairing ships. how does repairing vorlon and shadow ships work in campaigns, as you won't need to spend points on crew, but there is more damage to repair, or could be anyway.

 

[MustEatBrains]

Twice in SFoS space stations are listed as 2x cost. Listed once as 3x cost. We use 2x cost.

The FAQ corrected that - it IS 3x cost (you can houserule it to 2x cost off course, should make bases more frequent)

 

[katadder]

how long would the campaign have to be to get 240 RR points without needing to spend some on repairing ships. how does repairing vorlon and shadow ships work in campaigns, as you won't need to spend points on crew, but there is more damage to repair, or could be anyway.

vorlons and shadows get all repairs for free so no need for repairs either. they only spend on new ships.
to get a planet killer, well depends on the territories you have. My ISA currently earn 36 per turn without fights. taking territory obviously can push that up by winning battles but you could expect to wait around 8 or more turns to afford a shadowcloud. also being as its armageddon you wont get to use it much but whatever system its protecting will never be lost to you either

 

[Sulfurdown]

how long would the campaign have to be to get 240 RR points without needing to spend some on repairing ships. how does repairing vorlon and shadow ships work in campaigns, as you won't need to spend points on crew, but there is more damage to repair, or could be anyway.

Any ships with Self-Repair will automatically be fully repaired after any combat, but in the process of accumulating that many points...

Assuming you never loose a ship, always take a new Target, never loose a Target, it would take around eight turns. (assuming 2 victories per turn.) Of course, following that pattern you've probably only got another 2 or 3 turns left in the campaign and chances are you're not going to win every battle. Accounting for more reasonable point expenses I'd guess it would take between 16-24+ turns.

 

[katadder]

take a jump gate objective and you can get 10% off the price though thats how i got my victory.

 

[Sulfurdown]

So 216 points instead of 240?

I was hoping that the Ancient starbases would figure out to be x4 by simply moving the magnitude of the multiplier by one for being ancient rather then doubling the multiplier. In the end this is going to be a house rule for the campaign since I'm planning on fielding Drakh. Because they don't have a starbase I was going to suggest borrowing a Shadow Cloud for them, but if the cost is that big it's going to be moot. :?

 

[DrSeltsam]

Im not sure but i think there is "bug" in the rules ( or maybe it was intended ... :roll: ) ... as a Drakh player you only pay for the starbase itself. The double cost for re-enforcements is only for Shadows/Vorlons ... check the rules for the Drakh again.

 

[Sulfurdown]

The Drakh rules don't allow for any bases, much less the shadow cloud.

Though in Arma it does mention a special planetary assault scenario for the Drakh attack on Earth which includes the Cloud with the Drakh fleet.

 

[Sulfurdown]

In a somewhat related note - why does the Shadow Cloud lack the Self-Repair trait?

 

[locarno24]

Can you not buy a cloud out of original point allowances?

Given its dual role, I'd argue that you could buy it even without a strategic target.....

 

[Sulfurdown]

Can you not buy a cloud out of original point allowances?

Given its dual role, I'd argue that you could buy it even without a strategic target.....

Good question. From what I gather out of the campaign rules, you need to have a strategic target to build the Starbase at with the exception of the Cloud. The cloud builder can opt to add it to his fleet list for use in planetary assaults rather than put it at a location as a base. There are no allowances for a Cloud owner to move it from its "Base" mode to its "Assault" mode, nor the other way. So a Shadow player could buy the Cloud to start with but would have to added it to his list as an Assault ship.

 

[katadder]

its hard enough to run a shadowfleet in a campaign anyway and you want to put 40% of your starting fleet into a shadow cloud

well you wouldnt be out the campaign quickly but you would be out of normal ships very quickly and have no territories to buy new.

 

[Morakas]

As of last night the Shadows surrendered to the Drakh the campaign. All they have left is 2 Clouds. Its a mega campaign with multiple systems.

 

[katadder]

all they have left is 2 clouds? thats 8 battle points, a hell of alot in a campaign. and that probably means 2 systems that can generate them RR every turn too as not many people could take those systems, and if they did would suffer horrendus casualties.

 

[Jetbaker]

agreed a shadow cloud can make any fleet fighting it pretty much die.....it is prolly one of the most overpowered and cheesiest units in the game....although it can only be used in a few scenarios as one needs planetary assault to use it or as a starbase which means you will always keep that system.

 

[Sulfurdown]

Compared to post-2259 Babylon 5, the Shadow Cloud isn't that horrible. Somewhat overpowered, maybe, but not by much considering it's Armageddon level (B5 is War).

 

[Jetbaker]

I can tell you from personal experience, my entire gaming group considers it the nastiest thing in B5. That is purely opinion though