Federation Commander

Scoutdad · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:48 am Post subject:

They are actually in the playtest section; but here's the direct link:

Star Fleet Assault
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Wolverin61 · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:31 am Post subject:

Scoutdad · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:32 am Post subject:

mjwest · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:41 am Post subject:

Does it have "classes" and "levels"? I hope not, as that wouldn't exactly scream "Star Trek" to me ...

Oh, how about "hit dice"? Could the 9th level Captain fend off a dozen 1st level Kobol, err, I mean Klingon scum without raising a sweat?
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Wolverin61 · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:44 am Post subject:

I got the GURPS PD right after the first edition came out and thought it was pretty good, although right after I got it I loaned it out and never got it back. Still got the old PD1 stuff somewhere.

Is D20M better than GURPS? Like I say, I've never played D20M, or even D20.
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Scoutdad · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 3:02 am Post subject:

It doesn't have classes, per se...
It has hero types. You can become a Strong hero, or a Smart Hero, or a Fast Hero, or Tough, or Dedicated, or Charismatic.
Each of the hero types focuses on a specific stat...
Strong=strength, Samrt=Intelligence, Fast=Dexterity, Tough=Constitution, Dedicated=Wisdom, and Charismatic=Charisma.

Each character then selects a starting profession. The combination of Hero type + profession determines which skills are class skills and which are cross-class. From there, you can tailor your character as you see fit. There are advanced classes such as Marine, Science Specialist, Engineer,etc and Prestige Classes such as Captain, Ambassador, etc.

Any type of hero may advance into any class or prestige class as soon as they obtain the pre-requisite abiltiies. Your Fast hero can become a Captain just as can your Dedicated or Charsimatic hero. Some classes can be reached faster by taken specific hero types - after all, a Strong hero can become a marine faster than a Smart one by virtue of ability advancement, but both of them can get there.

There are levels, but not in the D20 fantasy type, then again - a level is a level... after a preset total of experience is earned, you gain another level. This new level can be taken as any hero type or advanced/prestige class (assuming the pre-requisites have been met). This gives you additional skill points to spend increasing your skills, you may also gain an additional Feat or Talent...

But to answer your question...
Can a Captain fight off a dozen 1st level K... Lingons?
Probably not. There is no magical healing in D20M. Damage takes a while to heal and the weapons are much more deadly compared to the typical fantasy weapon damage. A Klingon disruptor rifle is pretty much going to ruin anyone's day if it connects.
At 12 to 1 odds, the Klingons are going to over-whelm the Captain in short order. (That's why the Captian never goes with an away team. The first officer on the other hand is a differnt story.)

Now, if it's one 1st level Klingon against a Captain, then the Captian will probably win... (unless he's a Charismatic character who got where he's at by kissing-up rather than from ability and skill - and the Klingon has focused on hand-to-hand combat)

Boy, that post went longer than expected. I hope I answered your questions w/o generating too many new ones... but if you do have more questions re: PD20M - I'd recommend taking it to the Prime Directive topic. I hear the moderator on this forum gets pretty testy about off-topic posts!!! Laughing

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Vanguard · Lieutenant SG Joined: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 147

I dunno, while a lot of people like the idea of ground combat in things based on the Star Trek Universe, I can't help but think it going an awful lot like this...

"We have a sensor lock on the enemy's position, Colonel."

"Thank you, Sargeant, order the transporter chief to beam half of them outisde of their barracks."

"Just half of them, sir?"

"Yes, Seargeant... their upper halves."

Nerroth · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:52 pm Post subject:

My favourite ground-based game is Epic Armageddon (which is set in 6mm scale) - indeed, I once write a house rules list that had been posted on the old Specialist Games website, before said site went the way of the dodo.

(Said list was for a group of grenadier-doctrine humans loyal to the Tau Empire, if you're wondering.)

One thing I'd wonder about when it comes to SFA is if there would be a set of options for paying the game on a hexless board, the way one would play Epic on.

FC has a hexless option, though I haven't tried it yet. For me, the concept of playing a ground combat game of such a scale on a proper terrain map, rather than on hexes, seems to fit more naturally.
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Steve Cole · Site Admin Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 3828

Hexes! hexes all the way, all the time.

Except civil war minis. then I use RRTF.
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toltesi · Lieutenant JG Joined: 09 Aug 2008 Posts: 47

Having played Advanced Squad Leader, Advanced Tobruk System (ATS), Panzer Grenadiers (PG), Conflict of Heroes (CoH), Classic Battletech (CBT) I was very excited to hear about this. Especially since I have a bunch of Prime Directive books languishing in my basement.

Two suggestions:

1) PLEASE consider having the game play out where one player acts, then the other play acts within each phase as is standard in ATS, PG, and CoH. Conflict of Heroes really is an elegant system for this. The rules are available for free download at http://academy-games.com/index.php/home/conflict-of-heroes-coh and are well worth a once-over for what I'm suggesting.

Otherwise it could be a LONG time between player turns while you gaze at your force getting decimated with nothing to do when you're not the active player.

2) PLEASE have this mesh with the PD system to represent a fast-playing combat simulation. CBT is a great example of rules that play out at different scales depending on how "zoomed in" you are in the game you are playing.

Thanks for reading; please consider bringing this to print in the future with the full counter treatment!

toltesi · Lieutenant JG Joined: 09 Aug 2008 Posts: 47

Steve Cole · Site Admin Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 3828

I have been designing games for four decades, have published over 200, and have won three Origins awards. I know how to design games.

Just personally, the "you move one guy, I move one guy" game drive me nuts and I will not play or publish such insanity.
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thebart · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:32 pm Post subject:

Steve Cole · Site Admin Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 3828

Rally Round The Flag.
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domingojs23 · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:23 pm Post subject:

Dear Friends,

I posted this in the Steve Jackson Games section, but anyway: why not use OGRE as the ground rules solution for the SFU ? I'm sure many SFB / FC players from the 80's also indulged in the game. Ogre, with its simplicity and diversity of units, would be a good fit with SFB/FC, and would not be too hard to somehow mesh with Star Fleet Assault.

Cheers !

Gary