The original Thread be hither - http://www.brikwars.com/forums/viewtopi ... sc&start=0
The Brikwars ruleset is here - http://google.com/anal orifice/public/06283 ... oQjfzZmPwi
And my first foray into the thread -
The Shadowscythe wrote:I would be more than happy to play a game of this, however - after sitting down with a print of the rule set for the last four days (alas I was without computer and intertrons during that time) I have to admit, I found more than a few niggles with the system ( 'cause I like . . . do that . . . ) so here be my obser-mo-vations.
So first off -
My first gripe is how unwieldly and limited the missile system is, you cannot effectively mount missiles on anything other than the missile barge (provided) a destroyer (using a med size cargo bay giving 8 slots, and a large missile package, taking those 8 slots) or a flagship (effectively cutting your OSSUM WARSHIPS combat capacity in half). now yes I could understand a high cost for such battle changing weapons, they home in on thier targets, avoid shields and can cause massive damage, but the cost to wield them in battle is just too high, and if your opponent has half a brain to make use of Defence batteries - unless you perform a "MACROSS MISSILE MASSACRE" (yes, I watch macross and robotech) and unleash EVERY missile at once . . . its kinda pointless.
My first suggestion is to lower the amount of CP and cargo space required to mount missile weapons, and then after that - more variation of "damage" missiles, as the only missile capable of being mounted for direct damage is the "Light" Missile (not including the nuke, which you can only mount one of per ship) so perhaps the use of "Medium" (6d6 damage) and a "Heavy" (8d6 damage) missile variants (with appropriate "Cargo" costs) could change this - small ships can carry many light missiles to add an extra punch at little cost, your big hitters (destroyers, dreadnaughts and the like) mount the heavier ship-killing missiles.
And appropriate upping of the nuclear damage to retain its "Omph" would have to take place, personally I'd suggest upping its blast radius from 6" inches to 12" inches, and a damage of 8d6.
This isn't to kill the system, just to give missiles a little more threat - as any half tactically minded player would see fit to mount defence batteries to his ships, so a lowering of cost for missiles, and an upping of damage gives more chances to make that lucky hit count - and when it does, really hurt.
- Moving with missiles, If a ship was carrying missiles on board while initiating, and successfully completing a ramming attack have any extra bonus's to its damage roll? If the ship itself is going to be blown to smithereens, would the ordinance on board not go with it?
Surely in this situation - the extra damage of EACH missile would count towards the eventual damage total (as one would think the entire load out of the ship would go ka-blooee . . . the result on the enemy would be just as bad)
- Moving along with ramming attacks - can Fighters/Bombers/Interceptors Initiate ramming attacks?
Say for instance, my bombers have fired all thier missiles, and I cannot re-arm them (carrier destroyed, or all ordinance is fired, or the situation is FUBAR) - Can I not initiate a ramming attack on enemy ships using those craft? It seems a little odd not for them to be covered . . . especially since the goddamn Executor in star wars ep 6 was taken down by little more than a A-wing crashing into its bridge.
- Perhaps a higher class of weapon could be introduced "Ultra" - the breed of extra high-cost, high damage weapons (of a CP cost of 20 or more) for Dreadnaughts and Flagships - think along the lines of prototype weaponry, or spinal mounted main guns - something normal ships of the fleet could not dream of having.
- To go with this a raise of CP for Flagships would also be appreciated, after mounting a "Galactic warp drive" or collosal cargoe bay for missiles, there is very little left for anything else on the brute - its slow, unweildly - and to take advantage of anything "special" for this class in combat - I effectively have to shoot it in the foot. I'd suggest the CP cost raised from 36 . . . to 46, which would make the flagship class well and truely the mean mother f*ck*rs of the battlefield.
On another point - there where no rules for "Targeting Computers" despite thier mention earlier in the system rules, so I have a few home brew suggestions . . . these come in three flavour's - "Basic" which is mountable on pretty much every vessel, "Advanced" which requires some more fore-thought and logistics on which ships your going to equip this stuff too, and "fleet" - which issues out a huge advantage to all friendly ships that stay within a certain radius of the ship carrying it, but at a massive price (both in CP, and battlefield strategy).
Range Enhancing Equipment.
Basically - equipment to target ships a little further out of your average range, and still hit them, useful for ships with many "Small" and "Medium" weapons when facing off against ships with a longer range ("Medium" and "Long").
Basic Range Extension Computer
Adds +2" Inches to the ranges of all weapons on this ship
Cost - 5 CP
Advanced Range Extension Computer
Adds +4" Inches to the ranges of all weapons on this ship
Cost - 9 CP
Fleet Range Extension Computer
Adds +6" Inches to the ranges of all weapons on all friendly ships within a 10" Inch radius around this ship. Effects do not stack with other range extension equipment.
Cost - 14 CP
Targeting Computer Equipment.
Does what it says on the tin, Targeting Computers increase your accuracy, thus increasing the chances of scoring an effective hit.
Basic Targeting Computer
Adds +2 to weapons accuracy rolls for this ship.
Cost - 5 CP
Advanced Targeting Computer
Adds + 4 to weapons accuracy rolls for this ship.
Cost - 9 CP
Fleet Targeting Computer
Adds +6 to all weapons accuracy rolls for all friendly ships within a 10" inch radius around this ship. Effects do not stack with other targeting computer equipment.
Cost - 14 CP
Evasion Computer Equipment.
Think of this as a computer tied into small thrusters on the ship, which pre-empts an incoming attack and makes small, fast movements to get the ship out of the path of incoming fire.
Basic Evasion Computer
Adds + 2 to this ships Agility rating.
Cost - 5 CP
Advanced Evasion Computer
Adds +4 to this ships Agility rating.
Cost - 9 CP
Fleet Evasion Computer
Adds +6 to all friendly ships Agility rating within 10" inches of this ship. Effects do not stack with other evasion computer equipment.
Cost - 14 CP
Other -
These where two more concepts I came up with for a little more depth.
Damage Control System.
Basically, a means to keep your ships in the fight for a little longer, as I find it hard to believe that a military star ship would not keep some means of on board damage prevention. the ruling is as such -
If this ship receives damage from a successful attack that is sufficient to destroy a part of this ship, roll a D6. On a successful roll of a 5 or 6, that part is not destroyed. This only counts towards one successful attack per turn, and its effects DO NOT stack.
Cost - 8 CP
Veterancy.
This differs from every other idea I've had thus far, as it consumes FP rather than CP, but makes EVERY ship considerably harder to face in battle. The ruling is as such.
At as cost of 15 FP per vessel, add +1 to all the stats of that vessel. This can only be used a maximum of 3 times for each vessel. (at a maximum of 45 FP)
Now I'm finished with my suggestions for extra kit - here comes my final "hole" in the system . . .
. . . last but not least, I found the systems "Infinity Loop"
Upon reading the rules for Drones, I found something so open and vauge - I could basically proceed in the creation of Invunerable space ships.
The ruling for repair drones is as such -A certain number of small, unmanned drones housed in the ship are released at the command of the player once per turn to replace any one of the parts he may have lost in battle. Takes up two units of cargo space.
The rules for damage that the owner of the ship receiving damage chooses which part of thier ship goes ka-blooee after a successful attack.
So after one of my ship (with say, 5 repair drones) takes 1 successful attack, I decide to loose 1 repair drone. Then my turn rolls around - I initiate repairs, and regain that drone - provided that I still have more drones than I have taken successful attacks, the ship carrying those drones can never be destroyed.
Basically, I could roll through every battle un-scathed.
Now - I highly suggest a swift changing of the repair drones rule - first of all so they can never repair other repair drones, the second rule to make them considerably more effective in combat.
Make it so repair drones can also repair ANY friendly vessel within a 2" inch radius.
So now we no longer have "infinity ships" and the repair drone becomes an invaluable tool, that would need an insane amount of protection on the battlefield to reap thier rewards.
Right, now I'm done breaking the system . . . I had to say I THOROUGHLY enjoyed figuring the intricacies of the system . . . and I hope soon to run a game for myself.
But in the mean time, it's been fun - and I hope this hasn't been too much of a slog for everyone! XD
The second foray - with the idea of command ships (something I've yet to playtest)
The Shadowscythe wrote:Good lord, I can't believe what I've started! XD
Although I don't see any mentions of Skull-rape, which could royally $%^&& up Magic soaps day!
I've also been putting some thought on how to impliment the "fleet" ideas from above into another class of ship (ala, the "carrier" "frieghter" and "missile barge") called the Command Ship. Its based loosely off of the idea of the "Cielio Command Cruiser" from Sins Of A Solar Empire. The basic idea is that its fast enough to keep up with other ships of the fleet, has some limited weaponry and defence, but it's main battlefield deployability is the fact it carrys a unit of Fleet Equiptment, and thus boosts the abilities of any nearby ships.
Command Ship
This vessel does not have a max CP cost, but instead comes equiped with 1 medium weapon, a Light Engine, Light Armor and Shielding. The Command ship can also choose 1 peice of "Fleet" Equiptment of the players choice.
Agility Rating - 8
FP cost - 8
I think the FP cost may need adjusting but the general idea is that it can hold its own, but if seperated from its buddies (whom rely on it for support as much as it needs them) then it will go pop very quickly.
Hopefully I'm not dumping too much on you sire, but I have far too much fun coming up with ideas like these!
---
Scythia is a relatively Earth like world close to the galactic core, its people are an offshoot of Terran humanity, cut off from contact with Earth far before recorded galactic history (before the war of the ancients, wherein the many colonies of humanity nearly battered themselves into extinction, unknown trillions of lives lost, entire worlds destroyed, and many technologies lost forever to the fires of war) and as such, have now evolved into their own separate gene pool.
Scythia is a high gravity world, fairly similar to earth (with a comparable size, mass and atmosphere - its only difference being its gravity of 2.6 standard Earth units) in orbit of the binary suns of Sythia Alpha and Beta. Sythia re-discovered the technology required for faster than light travel almost 5 centuries ago, on Scythias 2nd moon of Blade - in the remnants of an Ancient Era Earth Super dreadnaught.
Although many of the materials in the ships design where beyond Sythian science, the basics of the FTL core - or the matter/antimatter annihilation drive where not, and within 10 years, they had sucsessfully back-engineered the technology into the first few Scythian colony ships and warships.
After this point, Scythian expansion was assured, being deep within the galactic core, hundreds of systems laid practically thin their "Back yard" and within a century - well over a hundred worlds where under Scythian occupancy, with another 150 colony ships ready to claim new worlds.
At this point, came the Scythian re-integration to galactic culture - as their ships spread outwards, it only made sense that one branch of humanity would eventually run into another, and the Scythian explorer ship "Corhellan" during a standard scouting mission of a resource heavy system made first contact with the Free world of Gahlad. This peaceful, if bumpy first contact lead the Scythian people back to their history, their origin as a species, and their future.
While thousands of worlds, ranging from stone age cultures, to information age worlds, to fledgling and even full blown empires of humanity are still spread throughout the galaxy, with many more still waiting to be discovered . . .
Today, the Scythian empire stands at a little over 400 worlds, and sits in a comfortably sized chunk of the galactic core. Its a relatively peaceful, if spartan empire - where military service of 10 years is mandatory for all able citizens, and their only real concern is protecting their borders from the roaming Space Pirates (Better known as Pirata) and ensuring Scythian development of new worlds.
And now, in the new Era of the Scythian Empire - I welcome to the first unvieling of the Mark Two Scythian ship index . . .
---
Bulldog Class Frigate
Frigate Class Hull
24 CP
Engine
Light Engine - 4" Inches
Weapons
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Small Laser - Range 6" Inches - Accuracy 4d6 - Damage 1d6
Small Laser - Range 6" Inches - Accuracy 4d6 - Damage 1d6
Armor
Light Armor - 1d6+1
Shielding - +1d6
Designed not to be fast, but to be well built and suitably nasty - with its single large laser for packing a fair punch at range, its twin small lasers to deal with closed in threats, and the fact that its shielded to boot, its basically a threat that no enemy can ignore for too long before they start eating at the enemy's heels in packs.
---
Firelance Class Frigate (Bulldog Class Variant)
Frigate Class Hull
24 CP
(Yes, for all intents and purposes it is the same as the bulldog, all the changes are under the hood)
Engine
Uses Base Class Engine – Movement 1” Inch (0 CP)
Weapons
Large Laser Cannon – Accuracy Rating 2d6 – Damage 3d6 – Range 12” Inches
Small Laser Cannon – Accuracy Rating 4d6 – Damage 1d6 – Range 6” Inches
Armour
Light Armour – 1d6+1
Fleet Range Extension Computer
Adds +6" Inches to the ranges of all weapons on all friendly ships within a 10" Inch radius around this ship. Effects do not stack with other range extension equipment.
A recently designed variant of the Bulldog class based off of recently developed technologies. Through the use of the fleet range extension computer, the Firelance massively extends the range of itself, and any ship in a close radius. While the advantage of this throughout a fleet goes without saying, it is not without merit as a ship in its own right, extending its range capacity of its Small Laser cannon to beyond that of most Medium laser systems, and its Large laser system far beyond even that – making it capable of laying down long range anti-capitol ship fire before most ships can even get the chance to return fire themselves.
---
Tomahawk Class Cruiser
Cruiser Class Hull
26 CP
Engines
Light Engine - 4" Inches
Weapons
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Small Laser - Range 6" Inches - Accuracy 4d6 - Damage 1d6
Small Laser - Range 6" Inches - Accuracy 4d6 - Damage 1d6
Armor
Moderate Armor - 1d8+2
Unlike its smaller cousin, the Tomahawk has no shielding protection - but makes up for it with the fact it carries an additional Large Laser and its Moderate Armor to keep itself in the fight. Capable of hitting at all ranges, it is not a ship to be underestimated.
---
Reverand Class Cruiser (Tomahawk Variant Hull)
Cruiser Class Hull
26 CP
Engine
Light Engine - 4" Inches
Weapons
Medium Burst Cannon - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 1d6+2 (Burst)
Medium Burst Cannon - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 1d6+2 (Burst)
Drone Package (See Other)
Armor
Moderate Armor
Other
Small Cargo Hold (Drone Package)
Drone Package ( 2 x Repair Drone, 1 x Suicide Drone )
A Highly experimental design, lifted from civilian escort models of the military "Tomahawk" Class Cruiser, its Large and Small Lasers have been gutted in favor of the "Burst Cannon" - effectively an energy based space shotgun capable of massive damage. The only downside to this first modification was that it left the hull completely unable to support any the Scythian's preferred weaponry. This however opened the door to Drone based weaponry, an as of yet un-tapped idea within the Scythian navy. Making use of its repair drones it can keep itself in the battlefield for far beyond its expected combat lifetime, and as a last ditch resort - it carry's a single suicide drone armed with a heavy demolition charge to cause massive damage to any enemy vessel it cannot quite take down on its own. This unusual vessel has not yet been adopted by the main stream Scythian navy due to its unusual configuration, however - in the civilian markets it has been a relative success, and has thus far been unmatched as an escort vessel in pirate infested space.
---
Deviator Class Destroyer
Destroyer Class Hull
32 CP
Engine
Light Engine - 4" Inches
Weapons
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Small Laser - Range 6" Inches - Accuracy 4d6 - Damage 1d6
Small Laser - Range 6" Inches - Accuracy 4d6 - Damage 1d6
Armor
Moderate Armor - 1d8+2
Shielding - +1d6
An extension of the "Tomahawk" Class to bring the design into a true warship, it has all the combat abilities of its smaller cousin, with the addition of shielding to give it a little more omph in a close - in fire fight.
---
Sidestrike Class Destroyer (Deviator Variant Hull)
Destroyer Class Hull
32 CP
Engine
Light Engine - 4" Inches
Weapons
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Large Missile Package (See Other)
Armor
Moderate Armor - 1d8+2
Other
Mid Range Cargo Bay (Large Missile Package)
Large Missile Package ( 1 x Nuclear Sub Space Missile, 4 x Light Missile )
Light Sensor Package
Only recently designed by Scythian shipyards in the asteroid belts of Rigel Kentaurus as a long range destroyer, it sacrifices its shielding and short range weaponry for a Large missile package containing 4 Light Missiles capable of considerable damage to enemy vessels, and 1 Nuclear sub space missile as a last ditch resort against enemy forces. This vessel is still in its design stages, and as of yet remains to be tested in a battle situation.
---
Devastator Class Dreadnought
Dreadnaught Class Hull
CP - 36
Engines
Light Engine - 4" Inches
Weapons
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Large Laser - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 3d6
Medium Laser - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 2d6+2
Medium Laser - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 2d6+2
Armor
Heavy Armor - 2d8
Shielding - +1d6
The Devastator was the only warship to roll out of Scythian shipyards to not be equipped with Small Lasers (as per standard with all other vessels) and instead was armed with the twin Large Lasers as heavy weapons, and twin Medium Lasers for shorter range combat. With added shielding, the dreadnought is more than capable of getting in close and delivering its amassed payload directly into the heart of the enemy.
---
Executioner Class Dreadnought (Devastor Hull Variant)
Dreadnaught Class Hull
CP - 36
Engine
Light Engine - 4" Inches ( -1 From Plating)
Weapons
Large Burst Cannon - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 2d6 (Burst)
Large Burst Cannon - Range 12" Inches - Accuracy 2d6 - Damage 2d6 (Burst)
Large Missile Package (See Other)
Armor
Heavy Amor - 2d8 ( +1 from Plating)
Plating - +1
Other
Mid - Range Cargo Bay (Large Missile Package)
Large Missile Package ( 1 x Nuclear Sub Space Missile, 4 x Light Missile )
Light Sensor Package
The Executioner is a one-off design, based off of the weapons load outs of the Reverend and the Sidestrike class vessels but on a considerably larger scale. The end result is one of the slowest vessels in the fleet, but it carry's the largest burst weapons yet designed and fielded by the Scythian navy, as well as missile weapon capacity (although its ammunition for its size is sorely limited) so it does carry some hefty offensive punch . . . it would not last in a 1 on 1 fight with other ships of its class, and requires a full fleet to support it in order to keep it battle effective.
---
Ravager Class Dreadnaught
Dreadnaught Class Hull
CP – 36
Engines
Fast Engine – Movement 8” Inches (-3 From Plating)
Weapons
Small Burst Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Burst Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 – 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Burst Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 – 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Burst Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 – 1d6 – Range 6”
Medium Burst Cannons – Accuracy Rating 3d6 – 1d6+2 – Range 9”
Medium Laser Cannon – Accuracy Rating 4d6 – 2d6+2 – Range 9”
Medium Laser Cannon – Accuracy Rating 4d6 – 2d6+2 – Range 9”
Armour
Heavy Armour – 2d8+3
Basic Range Extension Computer
Adds +2 Range to all weapons on this ship.
Designed as a heavy hitting multi-role dreadnaught, its combat capacity against small craft is unmatched, with its 4 small burst cannons, and single medium burst cannon it can rip most fighters and bombers apart before they can even retaliate. Combine this with its twin medium laser cannons for capitol ship kills it has a fairly impressive level of versatility, however – the Ravagers true gift comes in the form of its onboard targeting systems, these fairly recent additions to the Scythian navy’s arsenal allowed for new computer algorithms for energy usage and firing capacity in Scythian energy weapons, allowing their maximum range to be extended – turning an already dangerous craft into a truly hard hitting monster.
---
Dilligence Class Carrier
Dreadnaught Class Hull
CP – 36
Engines
Uses Base Class Engine – Movement 1” Inch (0 CP)
Weapons
Small Laser Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Laser Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Laser Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Laser Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Laser Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Burst Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Small Burst Cannons – Accuracy Rating 4d6 - 1d6 – Range 6”
Medium Torpedoes – Accuracy Rating 3d6 – 3d6-2 – Range 9”
Medium Torpedoes – Accuracy Rating 3d6 – 3d6-2 – Range 9”
Armour
Heavy Armour -2d8
Large Cargo Bay - 12 x Fighter (Small Burst Cannons, Light Armour)
Large Cargo Bay - 12 x Bomber (2x Light Missile, Light Armour)
A longstanding part of the Scythian navy has been its fighter corps and carrier divisions, acting as anti pirate patrol groups throughout Scythian space for well over two centuries. However, 40 years ago – with the beginning of the Pirata Crusade, Scythian carrier groups where swamped by masses of co-ordinated attacks throughout the outer rim colonies, threatening the growth of the empire and destabilising trade on over 4 dozen planets. The reply to this, was the diligence, a re-designed Dreadnaught class hull with the capability to mount many small weapon systems to eliminate enemy fighter, bomber and drone craft, and medium torpedoes to go head on against Pirata assault carriers – but its saving grace is in its cargo bay capacity, carrying far more than the ageing carrier design, and impressively half the capacity of the Watchtower class starbase, which makes it an extremely large threat on the battlefield.
---
Watchtower Class Starbase
Starbase Class Hull
Engines
N/A
Weapons
Medium Laser - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 2d6+2
Medium Laser - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 2d6+2
Medium Laser - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 2d6+2
Medium Laser - Range 9" Inches - Accuracy 3d6 - Damage 2d6+2
Armor
Moderate Armor - 1d8+2
Shielding - +1d6
Shielding - +1d6
Other
Large Cargo Bay - Contains 12 Fighters (Small Laser Cannons, Light Armour)
Large Cargo Bay - Contains 12 Fighters (Small Burst Cannons, Light Armour)
Large Cargo Bay - Contains 12 Interceptors (Small Burst Cannons, Fast Engines)
Large Cargo Bay - Contains 12 Bombers (each with 2x Light Missile)
The "Watchtower" Class Star bases are used at every major cross-section throughout Scythian space, with almost 300 of these star bases used as a massive orbital defense grid around their home world of Scythia, as well as hundreds more throughout military and civilian strong holdings. Their primary strength comes from their force projection capacity - with 24 Fighters, 12 Interceptors and 12 Bombers ready for combat at any given moment to tear into enemy forces, while their 4 Medium Laser arrays can make short work of incoming warships from behind their powerful dual shield units, very few successful assaults on these mighty star bases have ever been recorded (or at least, lasted long enough before a local wing of the Scythian navy arrived to re-enforce the endangered star base).
Moar will come later, but for now, enjoy the shinies - and Olothontor, thank you muchly for making an awesome system for me to lay my imagination upon =D
