What Fleet?
- Thread starter Clanger
- Start date
Well, they're effectivelly A Call To Arms 3rd Edition - which is a tweaked and polished 2nd edition. So it shouldn't be difficult.
You might want to ignore the shields aspect* for some settings (eg Babylon 5), but other than that I don't see anything being any more difficult - it's just a case of writing fleet lists.
The new criticals mechanism is one I like, since you can still rapidly disable a ship, and leave a ship desperately trying to control fires and overrunning reactors even once you've stopped shooting at it, but doesn't contain the critical hits from hell anymore, where a lucky shot from a light frigate can disable a battleship's entire forward armament permanently with the first shot of the game.
The much discussed emphasis on boarding is easily removed if you don't like it - it essentially boils down to having a lot of troops on board ships (galliot-type ships which are essentially flying barracks) and - more importantly - the grapnel gun. This is a big soddoff harpoon gun which allows you to reel a ship in and deploy troops onto it - unlike in previous editions where a ship had to be moving below half speed. However, both of these are elements of a ship's statline - if the ships in your setting don't have lots of troops and aren't armed with grapnels, then boarding won't be a major issue.
* either replace the 'shields' critical track with an appropriate one ('interceptors'?) or double it up onto a different track (ideally 'crew' as that won't cause an increase in engine or weapon damage)
You might want to ignore the shields aspect* for some settings (eg Babylon 5), but other than that I don't see anything being any more difficult - it's just a case of writing fleet lists.
The new criticals mechanism is one I like, since you can still rapidly disable a ship, and leave a ship desperately trying to control fires and overrunning reactors even once you've stopped shooting at it, but doesn't contain the critical hits from hell anymore, where a lucky shot from a light frigate can disable a battleship's entire forward armament permanently with the first shot of the game.
The much discussed emphasis on boarding is easily removed if you don't like it - it essentially boils down to having a lot of troops on board ships (galliot-type ships which are essentially flying barracks) and - more importantly - the grapnel gun. This is a big soddoff harpoon gun which allows you to reel a ship in and deploy troops onto it - unlike in previous editions where a ship had to be moving below half speed. However, both of these are elements of a ship's statline - if the ships in your setting don't have lots of troops and aren't armed with grapnels, then boarding won't be a major issue.
* either replace the 'shields' critical track with an appropriate one ('interceptors'?) or double it up onto a different track (ideally 'crew' as that won't cause an increase in engine or weapon damage)
godsgopher
Mongoose
Well the third edition of A Call To Arms, I have to say I am very excited about this one. A new setting, new fleets, and new rules and a whole new balance for one of the finest space combat systems I have ever played with.
So which fleet to pick?
while I am hesitant to pick a fleet before I have even seen the ship rules, I think I will be doing Decados. Im pretty familiar with the Fading Suns setting, and these guys are like the Harkonens, KGB, and Tzar's all rolled into one. How could anyone resist that?
So which fleet to pick?
while I am hesitant to pick a fleet before I have even seen the ship rules, I think I will be doing Decados. Im pretty familiar with the Fading Suns setting, and these guys are like the Harkonens, KGB, and Tzar's all rolled into one. How could anyone resist that?
gigashrimp
Mongoose
Going Hazat, sounds like most of the group is going other fleets, but I do like the blue/white of Hawkwood.
probably will grab both when funds are good.
probably will grab both when funds are good.
There are some good choices (and we will be making the choices more difficult this Summer, but that is another tale...).
Hazat are a favourite of many - the black/red colour scheme looks good, and they are (literally) a real slap in the face fleet. They have the best boarders, but their big ships are more than capable of pounding their counterparts into dust from the other side of the table. In many ways, the opposite of al Malik.
Decados should appeal to sneaky players. The Stealthship is really fun to play with (sneak up, create an ambush, and then launch a killer boarding action), and they have a superb looking Dreadnought.
Hawkwood may be a bit too 'noble' for some, but should appead to those who like to play humans who are at least half-decent in their attitudes. Good combination of weapons, with enough shield-penetrating missiles to get some 'lucky' shots in.
Both Hawkwood and Decados are good all-rounders, though they approach this in very different ways.
Al Malik should get hearts racing early on, as they have the ability to stand back and pound enemies with missiles and rockets (all of which ignore shields). However, there are many more tactical options open in this edition of CTA, and more than one way to skin an al Malik fleet. Lazy players may opt for al Malik, but if they do not concentrate on their tactics, they will lose a lot (hint, you are the only other fleet to get a stealthship, but send them up to the enemy on their own and you will lose them...).
Those who like to take the ethos of a faction and ram it down other players' throats should take a good look at Li Halan. Absolute fanatics, and they will be getting suicide 'martyr' fighters down the road! We are currently predicting a relatively slow take up of Li Halan, but also a reversal once people start really getting into the game. The fleet to watch!
Hazat are a favourite of many - the black/red colour scheme looks good, and they are (literally) a real slap in the face fleet. They have the best boarders, but their big ships are more than capable of pounding their counterparts into dust from the other side of the table. In many ways, the opposite of al Malik.
Decados should appeal to sneaky players. The Stealthship is really fun to play with (sneak up, create an ambush, and then launch a killer boarding action), and they have a superb looking Dreadnought.
Hawkwood may be a bit too 'noble' for some, but should appead to those who like to play humans who are at least half-decent in their attitudes. Good combination of weapons, with enough shield-penetrating missiles to get some 'lucky' shots in.
Both Hawkwood and Decados are good all-rounders, though they approach this in very different ways.
Al Malik should get hearts racing early on, as they have the ability to stand back and pound enemies with missiles and rockets (all of which ignore shields). However, there are many more tactical options open in this edition of CTA, and more than one way to skin an al Malik fleet. Lazy players may opt for al Malik, but if they do not concentrate on their tactics, they will lose a lot (hint, you are the only other fleet to get a stealthship, but send them up to the enemy on their own and you will lose them...).
Those who like to take the ethos of a faction and ram it down other players' throats should take a good look at Li Halan. Absolute fanatics, and they will be getting suicide 'martyr' fighters down the road! We are currently predicting a relatively slow take up of Li Halan, but also a reversal once people start really getting into the game. The fleet to watch!
godsgopher
Mongoose
Ah! This is very helpful. A friend and I have been debating the merits of each fleet back and forth every since we heard the game was coming out. I am greatly revealed to learn that the Hazat are more than just overloaded troop ships. That the Li Halan will hold future surprise's is good to know as we were looking over their fleets very closely.
However, I do have some concerns regarding the models themselves. While I realize many of the models were inherited by Holistic Designs original Noble Armada I can't help but feel a few items, like the Li Halan Crusier need a second looking at from a model design perspective.
Decados, I predict will be one of the best selling fleets. From a pure appearance standpoint their ships are outstanding. They look aggressive, dangerous, and the choice of a green paint job did much to convey the sinister nature of the ships occupants.
Hawkwood, on the other hand I have mixed feelings about. Their ships seem to have little rhyme or reason behind them. Its almost like each ship was built by a different designer. Some vessels having rounded hulls, others like the dreadnought and destroyer, being very angular. I feel this destroys any sense of a unified theme. however again, the White and Blue color scheme works very well with them.
Hazat, Mixed feelings here. The ships most defiantly look aggressive and fast. They do possess a unified physical appearance as though they were all made by the same designer. But in there case I cant help but feel that many of there lesser vessels are too similar in appearance. Their Dreadnought on the other hand, I find first rate. Again the Black and Red color scheme serves them well. I don't think anyone is going to overlook these dangerous ships.
Li Halan, here we have a unified theme, all the ships are basically Indian arrowheads. This does convey their speed which is about the only thing we know about them without seeing the rule book. But here again I feel they are a bit too unified. The arrow head design works very well for the smaller vessels but I feel there cruiser is a disaster. to me it looks like a Star Fleet Battles knock off of a Romulan Dreadnought. I would suggest a redesign. Perhaps a flying wing design? this would keep the arrow theme, while still varying it up a bit to give some diversity. also the "warp Nessels" look may also be stretching it a bit. Here again I would suggest revising. However there color scheme does work for them, the White and Purple hulls give that hint of religious dogma but perhaps a slightly darker purple. The one seen on most of the hulls is just a touch to pastel for the space warrior in me.
Al Malik, The design of these ships almost escaped my attention. They have beautiful curved lines and there designs seem almost organic in nature. A+ to the sculptors. Also there seems to be good diversity among their designs from ship to ship. I am just a touch reminded of some of the old Master of Orion ships, but this isn't exactly a bad thing. However I find there color scheme jarring. I almost completely dismissed them as anything of interest because of the blue and green colors. These colors while technically complementing colors on a color wheel seem to class rather badly. I'm going to probably go with a Red and Orange, or perhaps a Tan and Orange/Red to reflect there desert homeworld for my fleet.
All in all each fleet is distinctive and unique. I was a great fan of both first and second ACTA's and from that alone I know the rules and ships will be interestingly balanced. I'm also greatly excited by the fact that these fleets were all built together and I expect to see much more unified fleets than we saw in Babylon 5 if for no other reason that the roles and armaments of these ships aren't so strongly dictated by canon.
As to which fleet I am picking, and to keep with the original topic of the post, I couldn't make my mind up. So I'm buying all of them
The Mega-Fleet deal was simply too good to pass up. I knew when I saw it that if I went with anything less I would be wishing I had other fleets to play with when it all arrived at home and we got it all put together. I also am very happy to be able to support ACTA's financially and believe that with game like its predecessor will be an exceptional product that I will be enjoying for years to come.
However, I do have some concerns regarding the models themselves. While I realize many of the models were inherited by Holistic Designs original Noble Armada I can't help but feel a few items, like the Li Halan Crusier need a second looking at from a model design perspective.
Decados, I predict will be one of the best selling fleets. From a pure appearance standpoint their ships are outstanding. They look aggressive, dangerous, and the choice of a green paint job did much to convey the sinister nature of the ships occupants.
Hawkwood, on the other hand I have mixed feelings about. Their ships seem to have little rhyme or reason behind them. Its almost like each ship was built by a different designer. Some vessels having rounded hulls, others like the dreadnought and destroyer, being very angular. I feel this destroys any sense of a unified theme. however again, the White and Blue color scheme works very well with them.
Hazat, Mixed feelings here. The ships most defiantly look aggressive and fast. They do possess a unified physical appearance as though they were all made by the same designer. But in there case I cant help but feel that many of there lesser vessels are too similar in appearance. Their Dreadnought on the other hand, I find first rate. Again the Black and Red color scheme serves them well. I don't think anyone is going to overlook these dangerous ships.
Li Halan, here we have a unified theme, all the ships are basically Indian arrowheads. This does convey their speed which is about the only thing we know about them without seeing the rule book. But here again I feel they are a bit too unified. The arrow head design works very well for the smaller vessels but I feel there cruiser is a disaster. to me it looks like a Star Fleet Battles knock off of a Romulan Dreadnought. I would suggest a redesign. Perhaps a flying wing design? this would keep the arrow theme, while still varying it up a bit to give some diversity. also the "warp Nessels" look may also be stretching it a bit. Here again I would suggest revising. However there color scheme does work for them, the White and Purple hulls give that hint of religious dogma but perhaps a slightly darker purple. The one seen on most of the hulls is just a touch to pastel for the space warrior in me.
Al Malik, The design of these ships almost escaped my attention. They have beautiful curved lines and there designs seem almost organic in nature. A+ to the sculptors. Also there seems to be good diversity among their designs from ship to ship. I am just a touch reminded of some of the old Master of Orion ships, but this isn't exactly a bad thing. However I find there color scheme jarring. I almost completely dismissed them as anything of interest because of the blue and green colors. These colors while technically complementing colors on a color wheel seem to class rather badly. I'm going to probably go with a Red and Orange, or perhaps a Tan and Orange/Red to reflect there desert homeworld for my fleet.
All in all each fleet is distinctive and unique. I was a great fan of both first and second ACTA's and from that alone I know the rules and ships will be interestingly balanced. I'm also greatly excited by the fact that these fleets were all built together and I expect to see much more unified fleets than we saw in Babylon 5 if for no other reason that the roles and armaments of these ships aren't so strongly dictated by canon.
As to which fleet I am picking, and to keep with the original topic of the post, I couldn't make my mind up. So I'm buying all of them
The Mega-Fleet deal was simply too good to pass up. I knew when I saw it that if I went with anything less I would be wishing I had other fleets to play with when it all arrived at home and we got it all put together. I also am very happy to be able to support ACTA's financially and believe that with game like its predecessor will be an exceptional product that I will be enjoying for years to come.
