Search found 242 matches

by Gareth_Perkins
Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:44 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: Population Growth
Replies: 12
Views: 6959

Population Growth

The campaign I'm currently moderating has a healthy dose of exploration-and-colonisation about it, All of my players are running extremely tight for census (even with the rapid-colonisation rules in effect), indeed, census is proving to be much more valuable than EP (most of the players have no real...
by Gareth_Perkins
Thu May 29, 2008 4:25 pm
Forum: Hotlabs
Topic: New Research Rules?
Replies: 13
Views: 7420

Very well generally, I should add that most of my players are first-timers mind, so they may simply not have figured out how to "finesse" things, I set the Base cost at 8, and upkeep of 1/2 - not too expensive, but enough. Each base allows 5RP per turn of tech investment - so a "start...
by Gareth_Perkins
Thu May 29, 2008 2:10 pm
Forum: Hotlabs
Topic: New Research Rules?
Replies: 13
Views: 7420

After thinking about this some more, there is a way that a starting 'peaceful' nation can really rack up the tech advances early on. Assuming a nation's maintenance cost is ridiculously low (~20%), a micro advance per starmada could be every 3 turns! Pending no outside threats, a nation could spend...
by Gareth_Perkins
Thu May 29, 2008 2:02 pm
Forum: War Room
Topic: Discussion regarding VBAM:SX designs
Replies: 4
Views: 3437

I'm not a Starmada player, but it is my general observation with RPGs and Miniatures games that specialisation beats generalised units almost every time (possibly this is a hint that RPGs undercost high quality equipment and crews), From a military standpoint I can see a lot of utility in specialisi...
by Gareth_Perkins
Tue May 20, 2008 12:58 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: Convoy system
Replies: 7
Views: 3646

Ah - I see, My understanding was that the ability to move RAW about replaced the trade rules as printed in the main rulebook (because the outcomes should be similar - additional income), But if you can also use convoys to build trade routes then that makes a lot more sense (*click*) The problem with...
by Gareth_Perkins
Fri May 16, 2008 7:04 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: Convoy system
Replies: 7
Views: 3646

What do you do for races with traits like Mercantile and anti / pro-trade governments? It had occurred to me that one way of dealing with them might be to increase or decrease the cost of convoys according to the perk, (So a race with the mercantile trait might get 2 convoys per EP, and a race with ...
by Gareth_Perkins
Fri May 16, 2008 5:25 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: Convoy system
Replies: 7
Views: 3646

Convoy system

Do folks here use the convoy system in place of trade / transport fleets? Which do you find easier to handle? I've always used the basic system, but the complexity can get quite high (especially when operating a lot of transport ships to construct a supply depot two or three (or more!) jumps away fr...
by Gareth_Perkins
Sun Apr 13, 2008 7:38 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: First Timer Encounter Resolution Question
Replies: 17
Views: 10803

I did find that for Interception/Breakout scenarios that in order to "breakthru" the intercepting/blockading force must have all units destroyed or crippled. But it does not say what happens when the intercepting/blockading forces are not all destroyed/crippled. Well, if the intercepting ...
by Gareth_Perkins
Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:23 am
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: First Timer Encounter Resolution Question
Replies: 17
Views: 10803

Not always (especially when there's heavy static defensive assets) - but yes in most cases I can see what you're saying, But either which way, I can see some merit in making sure most scenarios are fairly decisive within a turn (especially if your background features a lot of ships), After a pursuit...
by Gareth_Perkins
Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:22 am
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: First Timer Encounter Resolution Question
Replies: 17
Views: 10803

I may try to build up a flow chart for system encounters based on my reading of the rules and then post it for others to comment on or correct. A flow chart would definitely help - the text as written is simply to big to be able to take in easily! There's a text file on the VBAM Yahoo! group that y...
by Gareth_Perkins
Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:14 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: First Timer Encounter Resolution Question
Replies: 17
Views: 10803

So in my case it would seem that only a Pursuit Scenario could be generated after the Defensive scenario ends. But the question then becomes, who is doing the pursuing and who is being pursued if neither side wants to retreat? I would argue that another defensive scenario could also be generated (y...
by Gareth_Perkins
Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:40 am
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: First Timer Encounter Resolution Question
Replies: 17
Views: 10803

Player B will accept the defensive scenario to force the fight. It doesn't matter really since there are no other defensive forces outside the ships. The only differences would be for attacker readiness (nothing worse than normal) and scenario length (longer). If A has no other defensive assets the...
by Gareth_Perkins
Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:59 am
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: First Timer Encounter Resolution Question
Replies: 17
Views: 10803

Strictly speaking, if player B wants a fight he has to accept the defensive scenario, If player A keeps his vessels in a defensive position player B can either assault it, form a blockade of do nothing until next turn, If player B does accept the defensive scenario then my understanding is that, yes...
by Gareth_Perkins
Sun Apr 06, 2008 7:37 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: Some questions about the CSCR...
Replies: 1
Views: 1781

"A dedicated anti-fighter squadron may use its AF factors from ships or fighters to engage fighters in any one other squadron, but not vice versa." The vice-versa specifically refers to ship squadrons on dedicated AF missions. If Squadron A is on a dedicated AF mission defending squadron ...
by Gareth_Perkins
Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:11 pm
Forum: Officer's Lounge
Topic: Some VBAM questions from a prospective purchaser...
Replies: 16
Views: 7649

gambler wrote:All of the VBAM campaigns I've seen in the forums here use a 'jump' system. Is there an alternative hex based system in the basic rules?
Not in the basic rules, but in the Moderators companion I think,