Vorlons & Shadows Other Duties

[Sulfurdown]

Out of idle curiosity, what was the reason behind leaving the Shadows and Vorlons out of the Other Duties table family?


I've been working on other duties for the Shadows and Vorlons for my own amusement and might post them once mostly complete for general review.

 

[H]

such things are beneath them basically.
how would they get an elite crew, or experianced commander, they are all thousands of years old, you don't get much more experianced than that anyway

 

[Da Boss]

I dont know escpecially since the whole sceming, ploting and general mainpulation of others fits in nicely with both races: I came up with a Shadows one which a few people liked (below) but did not get round to a Vorlon one: Look forward to seeing yours................

1d6 Schemes
1 What do you want?: This ship has been used to transport a minion who gathers valuable intelligence on the activities of the other fleets, granting you a +2 bonus to your Initiative for the next Campaign Turn.
2 Mother knows best: Up to two on board flights of fighters may increase their Dogfight score by +1.
3 Master Manipulators: Launching a lightning strike, the ship strikes at the heart of an enemy, causing him to draw ships away from his main force. Choose another player’s fleet. In its next battle, it will have one less Fleet Allocation Points available.
4 The Corps is our Friend: The ship receives a telepathic pilot which enables it to better resist attacks by other telepaths, add +1 against jamming effects. This may only be carried out once and is cumulative with the bonus granted by being a Shadow Ship.
5 Minions: An inquisitive ship uncovers more than it bargained for and those crew that survive now serve the Shadows. You may immediately add any one ship of your choice of Skirmish or lower Priority Level to your fleet roster. This ship may be chosen from Earth Alliance, Centauri, Raiders or League fleet lists and may come from a fleet that your are currently fighting against in the campaign
6 Precise Strike: The Shadows appear at the heart of those they consider weak or need to be provoked and ensure that they will be short of resources. Choose one enemy fleet. It immediately loses 2d6 RR points.

 

[Da Boss]

such things are beneath them basically.
how would they get an elite crew, or experianced commander, they are all thousands of years old, you don't get much more experianced than that anyway

Some of the other duties reflect events causing others to divert resources - also some Shadow ships have new CPUs and (and perhaps Vorlon) may even be created for the next great war?

 

[Sulfurdown]

The event based Other Duties was what I was looking into for the most part, also trying to keep duties to have more fleet wide impact rather then the refit tables or Personality evolutions. Some may need tweaking if I can get more faction specific feel to swap in.

EDIT: But I was just wondering if they were deliberately omitted for some reason or if it was just deamed not necessarily to go through the effort for them when the younger race duties were developed.

 

[angelus2000]

EDIT: But I was just wondering if they were deliberately omitted for some reason or if it was just deamed not necessarily to go through the effort for them when the younger race duties were developed.

Personally, I'm inclined to go with the second option myself. When ACTA was originally designed, I don't the designers ever really intended either Shadows or the Vorlons to be a fully realized and playable CAMPAIGN fleet. I think they were intented to fill the same role the Ancients from Arma do now; eseentially special scenarios, one off games, etc.

 

[Sulfurdown]

Shadows Other Duties (2d6)

(2) Ancient Ship Awakened; You may immediately add one Shadow Ship with a roll on the refit table (or personality table if used) to your fleet list. This may only occur once per campaign.

(3) To Sow Chaos...; This ship has brought your Agents to all corners of the galaxy. Any opponents who have fought in Scenarios not including you this turn immediately lose 1d6 RR and you gain all RR lost this way.

(4) Superior Hyperspace Tactics; Seemingly born to Hyperspace, the Shadows have mastered it. This ship may automatically start its next battle in Hyperspace regardless of the Scenario.

(5) Aid Has Its Price; Those that ally with you all learn that help comes at a cost. Pick one opponent and a Strategic Target. This opponent must attack the Target as his action choice during the next campaign turn.

(6)What do you want?; Your agents have penetrated deep into the younger races governments to learn what they can. You gain +2 Initiative for the next campaign turn.

(7)To Move Slow and Silent; To be prepared you may quietly gather your forces. During the next campaign Turn, no opponent may attack any of your strategic targets if you have not attacked or intercepted that opponent during this turn.

(8)Activity on a Dead World; Many believe the worlds you held are dead... they are wrong. Immediately generate a strategic target under your control. This target must be a Dead World.

(9)Diverting Raid; Launching a fast strike, the ship strikes at the heart of an enemy, causing him to draw ships away from his main force. Chose another player's fleet. In its next battle, it will have one less Fleet Allocation Point available.

(10)Has Seen too Much!; Pick an opponent's ship which has survived an encounter with the Shadows this turn. It has seen too much and must be destroyed. If destroyed by the Shadows later in the campaign, it is worth twice the victory points (or Triple if targeted in an Assassination Scenario).

(11)Caught in Hyperspace; Catching an opponent's curious ship unaware, this ship may inflict one attack, ignoring stealth and dodge, with its weapons against a random ship or flight of a target opponent before this Shadow vessel vanishes into the flow of Hyperspace.

(12)Contact Servant Race; This ship is sent to call forces from Thrall races. You may immediately add any one ship of your choice of Skirmish or lower Priority Level to your fleet roster. This ship may be chosen from the Centauri Republic, Raiders, or Drakh.

 

[Sulfurdown]

Vorlons (2d6)

(2) A Piece Left; Ancient beyond the scope of almost all others, the Vorlons and their living ships do not die easily. Only if a ship was lost this turn. This ship recovers and gains all of the lost ship's applicable refits and unused XP.

(3)Surprise Attack; When you finally move, move with conviction. During the next battle, this ship is placed last regardless of initiative, anywhere on the table, and gains one free attack phase before the first movement phase selection. (May apply only once per campaign turn.)

(4)Priority Mission; This ship has been entrusted with a series of priority missions in this sector. It will always earn double Victory Points for it's actions during scenarios. (May apply to only one ship at a time.)

(5)Form Revealed; It was necessary to reveal your true form and those that observe saw what they wished. You gain 2d6 RR as the younger races flock to the site to pay homage.

(6)Ancient Telepaths; Extremely adept and most ancient of telepaths. Gain a +2 bonus to your Initiative whenever this ship is present in battle. This will not combine with any Command Initiative bonuses. (May apply only once per campaign.)

(7)Cryptic Response; While arguing over the meaning of your diplomat's statements, an opponent's generals and captains waste much of their time. -2 to one opponent's initiative next turn.

(8)Unknown Tampering; The Vorlons have been setting up the pieces of the game since before the younger races' existence. Some of the machinations are now coming to play. Pick an opponent, he may only attack Targets held by another opponent of your choice.

(9)Unforgiving; When thwarted the Vorlons do not forget and do not forgive. Name a player who has won a Scenario against you this turn. In the next campaign turn you will attack one of his Strategic Targets. This will be a Battle level Annihilation scenario. You will gain one extra Fleet Allocation point and earn double RR and XP for this scenario.

(10)Hidden Post; The other races have finally detected one of your hidden listening outposts. Immediately generate a new strategic target under your control. It must be Space Debris.

(11)Assistance Rendered; Having aided the younger races, they have sent ships to be at your disposal. Immediately gain a ship of Skirmish or lower priority of Minbari, Narn or Earth Alliance factions.

(12)No One Comes Back; Your biomechanical defensive systems have been brought online. Pick a Strategic Target which you control and has one of your Space Stations. Remove this Target from the campaign. You will automatically gain RR at the end of each turn as if you still had this Target and the Station, it will not count toward the winning conditions.

 

[Da Boss]

lots of cool ideas - I like!!!! 8) Especially like the fluff text - thanks

Hopefully the lack of full tables will be addressed in 2nd ed? :?: