VBAM Games Forums

Let's start:

3.2.2 "Modifiers to the players roll" are also for the NPO rivals roll ?

4.1 "Equipment that is fired, dropped or expended is removed from play."
What about miscellaneous equipment like ALE-45/Fuel tanks/leaflet pod/etc. - are they removed from play after use like a fired missile ? what if they are only partially used ?

4.2 Is it possible to change altitude in a band even if there is no encounter ?

4.2.2 If a RADAR sweep is successful and reveals an encounter or nothing, must the wing check again normal when it enters the band ?

Is wing movement simultaneous ? Can I choose every turn new which wing moves first ?

If wing 2 enters a band where wing 1 already is (no encounter), must there be an encounter check ?

Is it possible to fly back to a former band (for example to help the following bomber wing) if you expend fuel for every additional band you enter ?

If wing 2 enters an existing encounter of wing 1 how exactly is the new initiative order determined ?

4.3 "If the group passes all of the mission bands to the target area, .."
group = all wings ?

4.4.2.1 / 4.4.3 Engage:
To fire a long range missile at long distance 1 (not in a dogfight) is only allowed if you are in the "Long area" and not in the "Close area" ? Your target can be in the "Long" or "Close area" ?
If you try to bring the opponent to close range and you fail, is your aircraft placed in the "Long" or the "Close area" ? What if you are the only aircraft in the "Close area" and all other own and enemy aircraft are in the "Long areas " ?
If you are in the "Close area" can you try to dogfight only other aircrafts in the "Close area" or can you try to bring an aircraft in the "Long area" to the "Close area" ?

4.4.2.2 "Climb/Dive: may engage same altitide or higher/lower aircraft"
Example: A F4 is climbing from low to medium. It can now engage an aircraft at medium or high altitide. Is this correct ?
Same example: The F4 can now engage an enemy at long distance at medium or high altitude (not low) or can try to engage at close range (= dogfight) only at medium altitude. Is this correct ?

If an aircraft uses Climb/Evasion/Maneuver/Dive or Afterburner the corresponding modifier from the aircraft panel is used for all purposes until a new action is chosen in the next turn ?

4.4.4.2.1 What's the damage of light/medium/heavy/extreme cannons against ground targets ?

4.4.4.2.3 Ripple attack: Must the number of dropped weapons be declared before the first dice roll ?

4.4.5 What's the aircraft damage roll modifier of an extreme cannon ?

4.4.6.2 Is the following correct if the "Bug out" - objective is chosen:
Aircraft in "Long area" >> every action is possible >> not engaged + not fired >> bug out at the end of turn (no dice roll)
Aircraft in "Close area" >> only afterburner-action is possible >> roll a 7 or higher >> if 7 or higher bug out immediately

I think the example is confusing.

4.4.8 "If the aircraft below zero fuel is forced to loiter , ..."
You mean "at" zero fuel ?

Page 28 Mission three "We are next"
"We deploy any defences, and put our planes in the Target area. The Mercantile works it's way to us."

How do you play this exactly in game terms ? What defences are deployed ? There are no pre-set Mercantile-fighters, so who works his way to us ?

Page 35 NPO Caveats
What about low fuel ? It would be more realistic if there is a rule for the NPO's to withdraw/bug out if their fuel is down to - let's say - 50% or 3 fuel.


It would be very usefull if vbam publish a mission and combat turn summary in addition to the campaign turn summary.


I hope there is no misunderstanding - I like the idea, the components and the rulesystem very much (finally: Strike Commander The Boardgame ) but I like also to understand all facets of the rules to fully enjoy the game.

Thank you very much.

Frank

Jay or I will give you a complete run down of answers to all of your questions soon. In the meantime, I'd like to point you to the VBAM Games Blog at http://blog.vbamgames.com/ From there you can download Victory Track #1 and #2 (both are still showing on the main page). #1 has a rundown of a mission, while #2 shows how to build your initial MAS.

Welcome to our little group here, Frank. And yes, Strike Commander was one of the inspirations.

Hi Frank,

Please see the answers below .

Q) 3.2.2 "Modifiers to the players roll" are also for the NPO rivals roll ?

A) Right. Which means if you end up flying against a high prestige organization, be it real or one of the 5 NPO MAS organizations we include in the basic book there is a chance the better organization could win the contract.
One variant we explore for the expansion is not allowing NPO’s to compete for contracts if there is more than one player MAS in the bidding. This makes it easier for friends to compete over missions without NPO interference.


Q)4.1 "Equipment that is fired, dropped or expended is removed from play." What about miscellaneous equipment like ALE-45/Fuel tanks/leaflet pod/etc. - are they removed from play after use like a fired missile ? what if they are only partially used ?

A) Technically these types of equipment are not “expended”. This makes systems like flare dispensers and ALE-45 good buys for the long term use of a MAS. Some miscellaneous buys, like the Hawkeye air support expended after one use.


Q) 4.2 Is it possible to change altitude in a band even if there is no encounter ?

A) Since a plane is spending a turn in the band it can issue an order, which could be climb. So a plane could move to Band 3, order a climb, and change altitude. Likewise a plane could loiter in a band, burn a fuel, issue an order a climb or dive, and change altitude accordingly.


Q) 4.2.2 If a RADAR sweep is successful and reveals an encounter or nothing, must the wing check again normal when it enters the band ?

A) If the sweep is successful, then no since the wing is certain it is empty. It will make further RADAR checks for the next bands as normal though. The only exception is the option rule 7:13 Hidden RADAR which involves the wing not knowing for certain if the RADAR sweep was accurate.


Q) Is wing movement simultaneous? Can I choose every new turn which wing moves first ?

A) Yes, it is simultaneous. So it can either change bands or loiter at the end of the turn if there are no encounters to keep it in place.


Q) If wing 2 enters a band where wing 1 already is (no encounter), must there be an encounter check ?

A) No, the band is clear.


Q) Is it possible to fly back to a former band (for example to help the following bomber wing) if you expend fuel for every additional band you enter ?

A) That is correct.


Q) If wing 2 enters an existing encounter of wing 1 how exactly is the new initiative order determined?

A) The player simply rolls initiative for the new arrivals of Wing 2 and fits them in the initiative order.


Q) 4.3 "If the group passes all of the mission bands to the target area," group = all wings?

A)Yes, this could be any of the wings. I used group in this case to accommodate the optional rule 7.5 No Wings.


Q) 4.4.2.1 / 4.4.3 Engage:
To fire a long range missile at long distance 1 (not in a dogfight) is only allowed if you are in the "Long area" and not in the "Close area" ? Your target can be in the "Long" or "Close area" ?

A) A missile with range can be fired from anywhere within its range limit. If it has the dogfighting capability, it may be fired at close range, but only if the pilot engages the target in a dogfight. The burden of close range is that a pilot can’t just snap of ranged weapons, but must either disengage to Long Range. He or she must attempt to dogfight if they want to fire at Close Range.


Q) If you try to bring the opponent to close range and you fail, is your aircraft placed in the "Long" or the "Close area" ?

A) It is always moved to close range during a failed dogfight engagement attempt.


Q) What if you are the only aircraft in the "Close area" and all other own and enemy aircraft are in the "Long areas " ?

A) This pilot will need to either disengage and get back to long range, or continue the fight by trying to engage the others in a dogfight. Close range combat requires dogfighting.


Q) If you are in the "Close area" can you try to dogfight only other aircrafts in the "Close area" or can you try to bring an aircraft in the "Long area" to the "Close area" ?

A) You could attempt to engage either enemy in this case.


Q) 4.4.2.2 "Climb/Dive: may engage same altitide or higher/lower aircraft"
Example: A F4 is climbing from low to medium. It can now engage an aircraft at medium or high altitide. Is this correct ?
Same example: The F4 can now engage an enemy at long distance at medium or high altitude (not low) or can try to engage at close range (= dogfight) only at medium altitude. Is this correct ?

A) Yes, the plane is climbing, and not geared to take on targets below it until it issues another order, such as Maneuver. Because there are altitude changes involved there are restricted on dive and climb.
However the second example has one error, the F4 could attempt to engage at range, or a dogfight, any opposition at high or medium altitude.


Q) If an aircraft uses Climb/Evasion/Maneuver/Dive or Afterburner the corresponding modifier from the aircraft panel is used for all purposes until a new action is chosen in the next turn ?

A) Right! This sets the action of the pilot for the next turn, which gives the pilots some important decisions about offensive and defense.


Q) 4.4.4.2.1 What's the damage of light/medium/heavy/extreme cannons against ground targets ?

A) These are always 1. Cannons are essentially “free” to an activated craft. This is nice, but can take time to do the same work that could otherwise be done with heavier ordnance.


Q) 4.4.4.2.3 Ripple attack: Must the number of dropped weapons be declared before the first dice roll ?

A) Yep.


Q) 4.4.5 What's the aircraft damage roll modifier of an extreme cannon ?

A) There is none for aircraft. The argument here is that it is such a rare piece of equipment (the A-10 being built around it) that the hit per burst ratio would be about the same as no modifier at all. The trouble is of course that the A-10 is a terrible dogfighter.


Q) 4.4.6.2 Is the following correct if the "Bug out" - objective is chosen:
Aircraft in "Long area" >> every action is possible >> not engaged + not fired >> bug out at the end of turn (no dice roll)

A)Correct. The plane has left.


Q) Aircraft in "Close area" >> only afterburner-action is possible >> roll a 7 or higher >> if 7 or higher bug out immediately

A) The use of the word immediately needs some clarification. This means the plane can leave at the end of the turn. This is why the +2 IR penalty exists since the heat from the afterburners makes it easier to track with IR weapons.


Q) 4.4.8 "If the aircraft below zero fuel is forced to loiter , ..." You mean "at" zero fuel ?

A) Essentially yes, once zero fuel is hit the pilots needs to get out and head for the “barn”. If he can’t at the end of the turn, fuel is reduced, and then the pilot bails.


Q) Page 28 Mission three "We are next"
"We deploy any defenses, and put our planes in the Target area. The Mercantile works it's way to us." How do you play this exactly in game terms ? What defences are deployed ? There are no pre-set Mercantile-fighters, so who works his way to us ?

A) Actually there is a substantial air threat at Sophistication 5, which means the Mercantile is bringing quite a few very nice airplanes with them. For defenses you can buy your own defensive installations on the Miscellaneous Equipment list which are placed on the map. Since the map is reversed it is the player’s MAS that is launching from the Target Area to meet the Mercantile.


Q) Page 35 NPO Caveats What about low fuel ? It would be more realistic if there is a rule for the NPO's to withdraw/bug out if their fuel is down to - let's say - 50% or 3 fuel.

A) That is certainly an adjustment that could be made. It was left this way in the original rules to keep the number of things to track down.


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As Charlie pointed out we have been releasing The Victory Track over the last few months to support the VBAM product line. Lately we have been focusing heavily on MAS. If there is any theme you want explored, just let us know. I am hoping to start previewing MAS: WWII MTO and Worlds of MAS there soon.

>I hope there is no misunderstanding - I like the idea, the components >and the rulesystem very much (finally: Strike Commander The >Boardgame ) but I like also to understand all facets of the rules to fully >enjoy the game.

No problem . We are happy to clean up any ambiguities or clarify/correct anything that needs it. I hope to have the official errata and corrected sheetst posted today.

>Thank you very much.

You're welcome. We appreciate your support of our gaming ventures.

-Jay

Here is the official errata too:

http://blog.vbamgames.com/?p=135

Ive just downloaded the errata and trimmed them out

One thing: The Mk83 1000lb bomb was changed to make its stats match the tables (S:3 H:1) not the counters (S:4 H:2) but I couldnt see any of that bomb type in the Ordanance PDF (Ive already modified mine separately but you might want to add them).

Also for that bomb, are they supposed to be R:1?

Already got 4 players up for it at my club so its going well

myrm wrote:Ive just downloaded the errata and trimmed them out

One thing: The Mk83 1000lb bomb was changed to make its stats match the tables (S:3 H:1) not the counters (S:4 H:2) but I couldnt see any of that bomb type in the Ordanance PDF (Ive already modified mine separately but you might want to add them).

Also for that bomb, are they supposed to be R:1?

Already got 4 players up for it at my club so its going well

Good for you! I was a playtester for MAS (and for MAS WWII MTO, Charlie's follow-up game). I think my longtime gamer buddies and younger family members both will enjoy it.

-Mark

myrm wrote: One thing: The Mk83 1000lb bomb was changed to make its stats match the tables (S:3 H:1) not the counters (S:4 H:2) but I couldnt see any of that bomb type in the Ordanance PDF (Ive already modified mine separately but you might want to add them).

Also for that bomb, are they supposed to be R:1?

Good catch! I will get that fixed and uploaded soon. You are right though, it is not R:0. It is just a big, high damage, heavy bomb that is usually worth the cash if you want to break up a bridge or other large target.

myrm wrote: Already got 4 players up for it at my club so its going well

That is great to hear! Thank you.

-Jay