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Author Topic: space battles  (Read 2215 times)

tleilaxu

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space battles
« on: August 22, 2006, 04:18:50 PM »
are there any games or systems known for having really good space battle rules? how is such a 3d thing even done?
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Bagpuss

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space battles
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2006, 04:56:25 AM »
You looking for use in an RPG or as a tacitical board game?
 

Settembrini

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space battles
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2006, 07:27:33 AM »
hard sf or cinematic?
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Bagpuss

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space battles
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2006, 10:18:52 AM »
Personally the better space battle systems I've played have avoided the 3d element all together, it adds very little enjoyment for a lot of pain in the arse rules.

My personal favourite as a tactical wargame is 2300AD's Star Cruiser system which plays much more like a sub commander like game, with sensors and missiles and being much more important than speed and lasers. Being able to locate your target in space before they locate you is the key, very realistic in some ways but not so cinematic. Hex based and 2d.

Another favourite is Star Warriors which was for WEG d6 Star Wars, this is much more like a dogfight between X wings and TIE fighters, and isn't remotely realistic but it's lots of fun and ties in with the RPG (although it would take the whole nights session to run, and bore the none pilots in the group). It's much more like an airplane combat game. Again 2d and hex based.

If you want rules for drift and thrust then there are games like Silent Death, personally I find this complicates matters.

I'm not sure what Full Thrust rules are like but I've heard good reviews.

RPG session wise the chase rules from Stargate SG-1 Undiscovered Worlds expansion or D20 Star Wars (first edition) are probably the better ones to use. No need for miniatures and turning the thing into a wargame so it won't take the whole session.

I'm not sure of any games that use 3D combat rules.
 

Gabriel

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space battles
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2006, 11:48:53 AM »
Why, my homebrew space combat game is the best!  Super Starship Simulator!

Of course, the inherent problem is that the rules currently exist as random thoughts in my head and a few hundred scraps of notes arranged in the "no arrangement whatsoever" fashion.

It also aims to simulate a MMORPG with a sort of old school Star Trek starship battle feel, rather than "real" starship battles.

Caesar Slaad

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space battles
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2006, 09:16:11 PM »
My favorite modern space combat system for an RPG is that in Traveller d20.

If you are looking for 3d combat, it won't be what you are looking for. The basic version is map-less. What I like about it is that it involves as many members of the crew as possible, meaning that some players don't sit by while the pilot and gunners get all the action.

It has a realistic motion add-on, but I have not used it.
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Dacke

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space battles
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2006, 07:48:04 AM »
I prefer my space battle rules abstract. Star Wars 1st ed was perfect, where spaceships had a speed rating expressed as dice, which were added to your piloting skill in order to catch up with/pull away from the other ship, and that distance was expressed as an abstract short/medium/long range.

Unfortunately, such systems rarely work well with multiple ships involved.

I don't remember Alternity's rules for positioning and such, other than that there was a sourcebook called Starships which had both a more detailed and a more abstract system. I do remember that it was designed to involve multiple PCs - one-man fighters were pretty sucky, it was much better to have a somewhat larger ship where you could have one person manning the sensors, one on the guns, one on the defense systems, one piloting, and one telling the others what to do (Leadership skill could give the other guys a bonus). That's one thing I really liked about it.
 

Settembrini

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space battles
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2006, 10:21:19 AM »
For larger scale engagements I am feverishly in love with "Trillion Credit Wars", a JTAS article born rulesset.
If there can't be a TPK against the will of the players it's not an RPG.- Pierce Inverarity

Bagpuss

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« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2006, 11:37:37 AM »
Are you thinking of "Trillion Credit Squadron" which was a Original Black Book Traveller adventure/supplement for the High Guard booklet? Which was designed to allow campaigns involving huge space navies.
 

Settembrini

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« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2006, 12:45:28 PM »
No, Trillion Credit Wars is from 2003, it was published in an article series in SJGames JTAS. I used the battle system in it for the large fleet engagements in my Traveller Campaign. It was easy enough to explain non-Wargamers, hard sci fi enough for my Traveller fix. Quite nice, and without table hopping during the game.

I can also reccomend Brilliant Lances, if you want a single small ship style game, where the feeling is very much like single submarine vs. single destroyer, damage is very detailed and allows for intense character play. I also own Battle Rider, but never tried to actually played it. The system looked to detailed to introduce to non-Wargamers, especially since I had access to TCW.
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Bagpuss

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space battles
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2006, 05:16:04 PM »
I own Brillant Lances as well it owes a lot to Star Cruiser (but then they are by the same company).
 

GRIM

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space battles
« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2006, 07:36:48 AM »
Quote from: tleilaxu
are there any games or systems known for having really good space battle rules? how is such a 3d thing even done?


Full Thrust rocks my socks.  No 3d though.
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The Good Assyrian

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space battles
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2006, 01:11:41 PM »
Quote from: GRIM
Full Thrust rocks my socks.  No 3d though.


I gotta second this recommendation.  Full Thrust is my default choice for starship combat if I am not worried about real physics, 3D movement, etc (which is almost always the case for me personally).  Some highlights:

1. Quick and easy system - I can teach a newbie the system in 15 minutes and play a good-sized game with multiple ships on each side in under 2 hours.  I have run it at cons many, many times and people loved it.

2. Genre flexibility - One of my favorite aspects of the game is that it is *very* easy to tailor it to multiple genres.  I have designed Full Thrust conversions for Star Wars, Babylon 5, and the first Romulan War for Star Trek, all with very satisfying results.

3.  Did I mention that it is free...

http://tinyurl.com/pl8h4


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Dominus Nox
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space battles
« Reply #13 on: August 28, 2006, 02:33:23 AM »
While I hate steve jackson :fu2: I must admit his company makes some good products, and in this case I would say that the ship construction  and combat system in Gurps traveller is a good one, especially if you have the GT supplement "starships" to add in even more goodies and rules.

The one in GT:IW is OK, being basically a G4e version of the one in GT, but lacks the number of systems available for GT with starships.

I would recommend either system for a RPG themed space combat setting where the players are the crew of a ship.
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JongWK

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space battles
« Reply #14 on: August 28, 2006, 05:34:28 PM »
Babylon 5 RPG has good rules, or so I heard. The second edition came out a while ago. You might want to check it out.
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