Some VBAM questions from a prospective purchaser...

gambler · Post by **gambler** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:08 pm

I just ran across this set of space campaign rules on the Star Fleet Battles forums and became intrigued as much by the system in its own right as by the fact that there may be a Federation Commander linkage upcoming.

I have a couple of questions before I dive in however (I have a shopping cart somewhere ready to be purchased with a few VBAM products):

1. First, and most important. I saw the mention of a version 2.0 CSCR. I am assuming this will be errata and not create a wholly new rulebook?

2. I assume that "The Campaign Moderator's Companion" is needed to play solo Campaigns?

Charles Lewis · Post by **Charles Lewis** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:49 pm

1) Yes, this will be a free upgrade after its complete. It will get incorporated into subsequent products where appropriate, but it is our intent that no additional purchase will need to be made to get access to the CSCR 2.0.

2) No, it's not needed. You can run quite satisfactory games both multi-player and solo with just the rules int he main Campaign Guide.

However, as a big-time solo player, the Companion and the Menagerie are two very useful products, simply for the enhanced options you get. Note that if you want to do an exploration campaign, then the Companion does become necessary if you want to generate the map on the fly. Without it, you could do an exploration campaign by generating your map, and not generating system stats until the particular system has been found.

JoeBuckeye · Post by **JoeBuckeye** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:57 pm

I just recently bought the VBAM special (Campaign Guide, Companion, two source books plus the Menagerie).

I have just started a practice solo game to test drive the rules. I am only using the rules from the Campaign Guide.

The Companion is filled with optional rules to plug and play into the base VBAM system. I have only skimmed this book as I am concentrating the base system first to see how it flows.

I will say that as I was reading the Campaign Guide I was thinking of how things could be tweaked to handle other systems and almost all of those topics were convered in the Companion book.

This system appears to be built to allow one to customize it in the areas you want to customize and leave the base system alone in areas you are satisfied with.

I have not been disappointed in my purchase.

Charles Lewis · Post by **Charles Lewis** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:33 pm

I'm glad you're liking the system. VBAM was designed to be modular so as to be adapted to any desired setting. Considering that the core rules have been adapted from hard core sci-fi to space opera to 18th century Age of Sail, I'd say it's flexibility is well established.

While the plethora of options can be daunting at first (and you're wise to stick to just the core rules at first), as you've noticed, it's easy to "season to taste."

Welcome to our community, and have fun! And don't hesitate to ask questions!!!

Bandit · Post by **Bandit** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:59 pm

I have used VBAM to run epic ground battles in D&D

MarkG88 · Post by **MarkG88** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:06 pm

Bandit wrote:I have used VBAM to run epic ground battles in D&D

Now that sounds interesting! I'd be curious as to how you rated units etc if you want to post the info sometime.

-Mark

Charles Lewis · Post by **Charles Lewis** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:47 pm

Actually, I bet that's not that hard. DV is obvious, turn AS into melee, AF into ranged, and the CC/CR stuff would work as before.

gambler · Post by **gambler** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:48 pm

Ok, so I jumped. I'm not very good at self restraint. Both of the main rulebooks, "The Menagerie" and "The Wars of the Boltians and Kuissians".

Probably one of the main reasons is reading the "To Boldly Go" PDF which gives a very nice feel and narrative. One question I had, I see that the "Fire as she Bears!" campaign system uses hexes. 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?

Gareth_Perkins · Post by **Gareth_Perkins** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:11 pm

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,

MarkG88 · Post by **MarkG88** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:47 pm

Gambler,

Hello and welcome to forums! As Gareth noted the rule you're looking for is in vbm 105 Campaign Moderator's Companion, 3.3 Sector-Based Movement starting on page 56 of pdf. This covers both square and hex based movement games.

-Mark

gambler · Post by **gambler** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:57 pm

Hey guys, thanks...

I'm one of those people who has to have the hard copies, so I'll be waiting until they arrive at my doorstep before I get to play with all this stuff.

MarkG88 · Post by **MarkG88** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:17 pm

gambler wrote:Hey guys, thanks...

I'm one of those people who has to have the hard copies, so I'll be waiting until they arrive at my doorstep before I get to play with all this stuff.

Ahh, I understand, my good friend and gamer buddy Randy is same way. In that case, you'll be looking for page 55 of the hard copy of CM (VBAMer shorthand for Campaign Moderator's Companion).

gambler · Post by **gambler** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:41 pm

Woohoo! Discovered via the joys of internet tracking that my copies of VBAM, CM, Menagerie and WotBaK are going to be here Friday instead of Monday like originally anticipated. Oh frabjulous day. It means I can have something new to look at this weekend.

mwaschak · Post by **mwaschak** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:34 pm

gambler wrote:Woohoo! Discovered via the joys of internet tracking that my copies of VBAM, CM, Menagerie and WotBaK are going to be here Friday instead of Monday like originally anticipated. Oh frabjulous day. It means I can have something new to look at this weekend.

Well that is good news indeed

. As always if you have any questions, or just want to try to get a game going, let us know. I know of two new games kicking off in the near future via email.

-Jay

gambler · Post by **gambler** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:42 pm

I may just take you guys up on that... Do these upcoming games have handouts or anything? My personal preference would probably be one that didn't include races from a 'known' universe, or at least not one that mixes them up.