Re-stat/houserule candidates

[Polaris]

While we wait for 3.0, I've still been working on a lot of adjustments for 2.0 in our local group, I have a few posts seeking feedback on various topics now (we do this, because there are a lot of meta's and what may appear balanced to us, may not be)

 

But I'm just curious, what ships/factions etc. Do you think are behind the curve? Are there any glaring examples you've noticed of a ship that simply isn't worth the points?

 

Are there any cool housrules your group uses?

 

 

[Wolfgang Jannesen]

Well we gave the RSN spook cruisers the ability to launch mines and then immediately took it back, they're plenty powerful as is. 

We use Stoobert's radial movement system and a modified damage effect where a ship at half hull moves at half speed, gains +1" turn radius only loses two dice from the total AD pool. Helps make damaged ships usable but vulnerable.

I came up with a repair mechanic in another thread some time ago where you make your repairs from a pool of dice equal to your current crew rating, succeeding on a 5 or 6. For example, I have 5 crew so I'll roll three dice against this corrosive marker and two against the hazard marker

[Polaris]

I like that damaged ship mechanic

that sounds interesting,

it does make weapon systems somewhat obsolete, but maybe if it protected the engines too, hmm....

 

so with that repair mechanic, did only 1 dice need to succeed? Or was it like command checks where 2 successes were required? 

and I assume that means no repairs when your out of crew?

 

That's an interesting one if I'm understanding it, it makes corrosive a bit weak, but hazard markers start to look a little scarier, stack enough stuff on and you can't repair it....hmm, I may have to fiddle with that too

 

thanks @Wolfgang JannesenJannesen

[RageofAeons]

My group took a ground up approach to ship designs, and we fully embraced the 3 colour dice mechanics, adn it's made thigns play very differently, and been a blast.  

 

[RuleBritannia]

I think the three dice colours is a pretty elegant solution, simpler in the long run than WC's proprietary dice that just seems so confusing to me for DWars so far, in that you don't have the same aim (ie high good) and lose the exploding fun on the defensive.  Hopefully it will grow on me, but that flexibility of to hit values, and other ways of limiting defensive dice or weapon effectiveness without needing to buy new dice or having to work out in my head what it means is useful now I am getting old.  

[RageofAeons]

My 3 colour dice approach made Red fdice actually uncommon.  Blue is the most common by far, but certain fleets get certain dice to be red or black as standard.  

For example, my redo of hte Sorylian fleet, their scatter weapns roll black dice.  But a cruiser throws 12 of them out of each broadside
To better representnthe fact that they throw a lot of flak out for weapons, they get Red PD, and obviously they got Red AP.  Their torpedoes used to lose 2 dice at RB1.  Now I just shift them from Blue to Black dice.  

It's made a huge difference in how fleets work.  Like Terrans are some of the only Red shields, and other fleets taht have less advanced shields might carry Blue ones, or those that are still getting it all figured out might just carry a whole pile of Black shields.  

As to the idea of proprietary dice...ugh.  Hard pass for me thanks.  I've got reams of dice as is, and have little interest in having ot use a specific set for a specific thing and nowhere else.  

[RuleBritannia]

I really, really like the sound of that.  Good way to differentiate fleets and weapon systems.

[Commodore Jones]

Oh dear gawd NO, not the different color dice **** again!

[Polaris]

Yeah I'm with you on that one, the colored dice just aren't worth it in my opinion opinion.

I for one always liked that a frigates COULD hit a battleship if it got lucky, black/blue dice take that away, and when ships get so damaged they can no longer hit, they just have to shunt out :/

[Polaris]

I have one for everybody,

decimator warheads

A lot of people say they are too weak or overcosted, how would you change them, if at all?

 

[Commodore Jones]

Decimator is easy, though I've never playtested it my first idea would be like this: If all Weapons contributing to an Attack have the Decimator Warheads MAR and the Attack equals or exceeds the target’s DR,
the target Squadron must take an immediate Disorder Check. If  the Attack equals or exceeds the target’s CR, the target Squadron is immediately Disordered. 

If an instant Disorder is too much, as an alternative I would have it work on a Critical Hit and each multiple crit after that add +1 to the number of successes needed on the Disorder Check. For example: a Decimator weapon scores a Hit on a cruiser so it makes a standard Disorder Check requiring two successes on the roll to avoid being Disordered, on a Critical hit it would require three successes to avoid Disorder, on a double crit it would require 4 successes, etc.

[Polaris]

I like it

ill try and playtest that, see how it goes

[Polaris]

 Here is another one for everybody

Countermeasures

Is it good, is it bad, if bad what would you change?

(Generally I think this one is fine, but I know a lot of people don't like it, I'm open to suggestions )

[Wolfgang Jannesen]

Can someone point me at the thread where the 3 Dice system is explained, or give me a recap here?

[Bessemer]

IIRC, it's based on Light, Heavy and Exploding dice, also know as Red, Blue and Black

Light/Black succeed on 4+

Heavy/Blue on 4&5, 6's count as 2 successes

Exploding/Red as is in Firestorm currently.

It was used in Planetfall & Taskforce, and was used in tandem with degradation affecting successes rolled rather than the dice pool. Whilst I don't mind the dice types, the whole successes being reduced fights against the whole exploding die mechanic.

[Polaris]

And to clarify, basically all three dice types effect 6s 

Light/black, a 6 is just 1 success, like a 4 or 5,.  If you have 8 dice, 8 is the maximum number of successes, and you would need a lot of luck

Heavy/blue, 6s are 2 successes but do not explode

[murphy'slawofcombat]

are there any Terran players out there that have or are looking  into a re stat on the  the shield cruiser ..... looking to give a Mn of  4  AD that could be an upgrade for 5 pts.  personally  I think it would male it more useful ?  would any body be interesten in play testing that ?

[Commodore Jones]

Having played Dindrenzi vs Terran recently, agreement between both players that some frigates need some retro stat adjustments. 

Dindrenzi Hammer/Thraex frigate:  Give it a Hardpoint/Upgrade option to choose between the older edition gunracks or the newer fore arc torpedoes. Both players wanted their old Hammer frigates with 3/4/-/- gun racks.

Terran Missionary Frigate:  Nobody I know ever takes the Beam weapons upgrade since it's only the broadsides, what's the point?   If allowed to be all beams it links for 11 AD at range band 1, while on the higher end of the "re-roll 1's" scale it's not that bad in comparison

Directorate  = 10AD
Aquan = 7AD
Ryushi = 14
Xelocian FF =  9
Xelocian FC = 14
Kedorian = 10
RSN = 7
Works Raptor = 10
Missionary (current rules) = 7
Missionary (all beam) = 11

 

Terran Pilgrim/Armsman Frigate:  like the Dindrenzi above how about an hardpoint/upgrade option, Fixed Fore vs Port/Starboard guns.  Now I realize torpedo frigates are potent and they are priced accordingly I  would really really like a cheaper option for Pilgrims vs Armsman.