D20 Future: Ship Combat Experiences?

[Ranger REG]

I don't see why D20 Future inflicts penalties on the extra weapons. I would assume the ship has one gunner per weapon anyway.

Some ships (usually capital ships) do have individual gunner's station a la Star Wars. Then again, in the interest of trying to be generic-friendly, you have ships -- like those in Star Trek -- where the Security Chief handles the firing control of all ship's weapons from his station on the bridge.

Take your pick. The Millenium Falcon or USS Enterprise NCC-1701.

 

[Brian-MGT]

I hope this does not come across as a shameless plug, but I am going to comment anyway. We (Max Gaming) are currently developing a campaign setting for d20 Future and have directly addressed the problems with ship to ship combat on both small and large scales. We have added a substantial bit of content in rules and equipment for our universe which we believe will at least ease if not solve the problem. It can be done, however. Some of you mention your dissapointments with Future on the part of "complete rules" send me your gripes on what you think Future is missing if you like.

Brian Hammack
Max Gaming Technologies, LLC
vanthra@maxgaming.net

 

[0-hr]

I'd be interested in hearing from people who have played d20 Future and the (revised) d20 Star Wars system. At first glance, I think the Star Wars system might be better for the ship-to-ship stuff, and it should be feasible to just splice that into your d20 Future campaign no? You even have Starships of the Galaxy for construction rules.

 

[Christopher Lambert]

I'd be interested in hearing from people who have played d20 Future and the (revised) d20 Star Wars system. At first glance, I think the Star Wars system might be better for the ship-to-ship stuff, and it should be feasible to just splice that into your d20 Future campaign no? You even have Starships of the Galaxy for construction rules.

IMO Star Wars has it's own problems, too. My current house rules use lots of stuff from D20 Future, Alternity and D20 Star Wars.

My main problem with Star Wars is, again, lack of weapon scaling and general rules complexity. I like how D20 Future uses "ships as creautres"; I just wish there were a few more rules for troop bays, carriers, weapons and sizing. (I love the way D20 Star Wars deals with spaceship sizes!)

 

[TDRandall]

We (Max Gaming) are currently developing a campaign setting for d20 Future and have directly addressed the problems with ship to ship combat on both small and large scales.

Is it too early to ask for at least a name to this setting and/or a web site for Max Gaming so that we can keep up on news of its progress?

 

[Jack of Shadows]

The trouble, I've found is that that capitol-scale space battles tend to deligate the PC's to the background. Sure they can call the shots but essentially you have a wargame on your hands. In which case you may want to look at something like Full Thrust. Nice quick way to do large fleet battles. The players can still call the shots for their ships and it's relatively easy to convert ships into Full Thrust as it is so generic.

For a less involved method go back to storytelling. Keep things with the players and simply orate what's occuring. Allow them to make skill checks and take actions which effect their environment but have the greater battle unfold however you would like it to to further the story.

Jack

 

[Brian-MGT]

TDRandall,

Sure, allthough I will need to keep the site updated more than I have in the past. Go to www.darkhorizons-rpg.com, its a temporary site while we work on the development. If you have any questions feel free to ask either email me or ask on the forums on the DH site.

 

[Ranger REG]

My main problem with Star Wars is, again, lack of weapon scaling and general rules complexity.

Weapon scaling based on what we've seen on the George Lucas movies, right? Not in all other generic science-fiction genre.

I like how D20 Future uses "ships as creautres"; I just wish there were a few more rules for troop bays, carriers, weapons and sizing. (I love the way D20 Star Wars deals with spaceship sizes!)

Unfortunately, not many are fans of the "ships as creatures" model. While that may be good for squadron- or fleet-sized mass combat, others prefer a more personal combat, especially when it comes to ships manned by PC/NPC crewmembers.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Weapon scaling based on what we've seen on the George Lucas movies, right? Not in all other generic science-fiction genre.

There are several problems my group noticed.

1) Larger ships are just too fragile. The DR helps, but a Star Destroyer can't take much more than 6-7x the punishment of a Small transport, and it both costs vastly more and takes a much larger crew.

2) Larger ships aren't built efficiently. They have too much of a dependence on beam weapons, when missiles would be much more efficient (they ignore size penalties to attack, after all).

It works out that Gargantuan and Colossal ships are best suited as carriers, tossing swarms of fighters as their main battery, and flinging parasite transports around itself to defend against fighters.

Large ships are probably the best actual gunships; they have a low size penalty to attack and can mount turbolasers without penalty. Build, say, eight at $10m a ship (probably less), and you can easily outgun a Star Destroyer at a bit over half the cost of that Imperial II SD, and 1/10th the trained crew of that same SD.

Brad

 

[Ranger REG]

Meh. Blame it on Lucas.

The more closer you lean toward physics, the more people will question why that crashing starfighter managed to take down the ISD and causing it to crash unto the surface of the second Death Star in The Return of the Jedi.

If you want, give Lucas some lesson about how a conjectural capital ship should be built.