"Plasma Bubble Trouble"

Apologies in advance for the lack of format. That's more trouble for me than its worth.

1. The map has several bubbles of plasma equaling twice the number of the actual players. The bubbles are randomly placed on the map (or in agreed upon pattern of uniformity). Each bubble is a megahex. Each bubble has 7 points of collectable plasma.
2. The plasma is super rare and very valuable which is why it is important for any race to collect the plasma.
3. Methods of collecting plasma requires a freighter with a ram scoop. The ram scoop is not on the SSD. It's just there. A small freighter can have one or two ram scoops. A large freighter can have one, two or three ram scoops. A standard freighter, a heavy weapon armed freighter, a phaser or drone armed freighter, freighters with ducktails (or other recently published freighter attachable devices), an Ore freighter, or a Q ship can perform this function. Aux units such as AuxSCS, AuxCV, etc., cannot perform this function. See 9B below to purchase scoops.
4. In order for the freighter to scoop a point of plasma, the unit has to physically move into a plasma hex. The freighter will be able to scoop 1 point of plasma for each scoop it has. Each point of collected plasma uses up 50 cargo points (one standard sized cargo box). Note: Some races have cargo that hold only 25 points.
5. Once 7 points of plasma has been extracted from the bubble, the bubble goes away.
6. If a ship (freighter) has any plasma in its cargo, and if it is destroyed, a new bubble of plasma is created with up to 7 points of plasma in that hex. Any excess plasma beyond seven points is assumed to have dissapated.
7. H&R raids that target and destroy a cargo box with plasma in it is assumed to be lost plasma. i.e. no one gets that plasma, and the cargo box is destroyed. Location of cargo boxes with plasma are known to all players.
8. The player that leaves (disengages in the non-floating map) with the most plasma is the winner. Note: leaving early does not mean you'll lose. The last time we played, the first person who disengaged was actually the winner. Only the freighter must disengage.
9. Setup for players:
a) Each player gets a total of 100 bpv (including c.o.). Each player must purchase at least one freighter (as specified above) and one other non-cargo capacity ship of players choice of the same race (carrier escorts are forbidden). The freighter must be purchased using the combat BPV. There is no limit as to how many units may be purchased. Fighters/PFs/Xship/Andros (who have no interest in these gases) are excluded from this scenario.
b) Each freighter can purchase ram scoops at a cost of 5bpv. Scoops cannot be installed on any non-freighter variant.
c) All players agree on random location starting hexes or equal distance between players on map edge. Default is the latter.

By David Kass (Dkass) on Thursday, March 21, 2002 - 08:55 pm: Edit

What is the effect of having multiple scoops?

If a player has multiple freighters is their victory the sum of plasma on all freighters that disengage or only that of the highest freighter?

What is a "megahex" in this context?

Why make the cargo boxes with the plasma known?

By Glenn Hoepfner (Ikabar) on Thursday, March 21, 2002 - 09:02 pm: Edit

1. Two scoops allow you to get two points of plasma in one movement.
2. The total sum of what managed to disengage.
3. One hex plus its surrounding hexes.
4. I suppose that's optional.

By David Kass (Dkass) on Thursday, March 21, 2002 - 09:12 pm: Edit

So a large freighter with two scoops would get 4 points per hex entered?

Does the plasma have any other terrain effect (eg does it act as a nebula hex?)

Sounds like an interesting scenario for a con--too bad it requires choosing ships so it can't be prepared in advance.

By Glenn Hoepfner (Ikabar) on Thursday, March 21, 2002 - 09:29 pm: Edit

1. No, but I saw in the rules where I made an error and changed it to read, "one point of plasma is scooped per ram scoop the freighter has." or something like that.

2. I hadn't considered that. That would be interesting. Do you think it needs it?

3. It wouldn't be difficult to have selected ships in advance but some people might have different strategies. Do you recommend having ships selected?

By David Kass (Dkass) on Thursday, March 21, 2002 - 09:38 pm: Edit

2. I really don't know. At least list it as a variant. Terrain effects would definitely make it more than just a diplomacy/maneuvering game...

3. Maybe as a variant, give a standard list for the alpha races and some "interesting" combinations (chose forces slightly less than 100 BPV to allow for the co--it may still come out around 110 when players take a full load of CO, but I don't think that is a problem). Include the price of 1 scoop (or two for large freighters). While potentially a long list, each should be short (ie 2 or 3 ships).

By Glenn Hoepfner (Ikabar) on Friday, March 22, 2002 - 09:28 am: Edit

2. I'll add that element as a variant when I'm done making a rudementary list of example forces.

3. See #2

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, March 23, 2002 - 07:20 pm: Edit

Hi, I suggest a simple layout of opposing forces for the scenario (like 1 Lg Frtr + 1 DD) then supply rules for customizing it. So then there would be no set up to try it out.

Applying Nebula rules to the plasma hexs is a great idea. The Frtrs could use it as cover wile scoopin' plasma.

Sounds like a quick/simple/fun scenario.

By Glenn Hoepfner (Ikabar) on Sunday, March 24, 2002 - 01:49 pm: Edit

Playtest report:

Okay, we had a trial run of this scenario (trial because half of the players that played last night hadn't played this before).
We had four players, ergo 8 plasma bubbles. The bubbles were layed out in a uniform pattern, and the ships started out equal distances apart along the map edge.
Force 1: Gorn police Frigate and Large Ore freighter with three ram scoops.
Force 2: Tholian PC and large freighter (w/duck tail) with two ram scoops
Force 3: Romulan Large Ore freighter (with 3 of the four pods removed at no cost credit but it improved its movement cost) and only one ram scoop, and (ughh) a sublight Romulan Vulture.
Force 4: Federation drone armed small freighter with two ram scoops and a POL+

Needless to say, the rules will be changed to add that no SC3 or SC2 units are allowed. It also needs to clarify that Qships can be used for freighter actities but cannot be used for the warship purchase.

Despite the Romulan's amazing fire power, they had huge limitations on their speed.

Typical tactic used, close to your nearest bubble, suck it up, go to the next nearest bubble, etc.

In the beginning the Tholian made a tactical mistake and missed the 7th point of plasma on its first bubble. The tholian headed for the next one, got all 7, then headed back towards the first bubble (because by that point, the other bubbles were either gone or being fought over). The PC's quick speed allowed it to fire on some vulnerable freighters doing some damage (though insignificant).
The Romulans had a problem with speed and only managed to reach the first bubble when the others were already working on the second bubble. However, it was obvious of the Rom's course and the two Type-R's kept the others pretty much away from the second bubble.
The Gorns got their two bubbles but they had a nasty scrap with the Feds. Both damaged each other, but the gorn managed to get 14 points and disengaged.
The Feds got their first bubble, veered towards another along the map edge, and was about to leave when the Rom had fired its confirmed second type-R (which wrecked the Tholian PC because he thought it was a fake -- ouch).
The feds, looking for a win, turned in at the last bubble, the one that the Roms were going after (which would have been their second).
At close range, the fight escalated. Weapons fire were mostly directed at freighers. By turn 5, the ROM fastloaded a type F and launched. The impact hit the Fed freighter (already damaged) and it exploded (amazing how many cargo boxes weren't destroyed prior to the last excess box). A new bubble was formed. In response, the Fed POL (weapons expended) found a down shield on the Rom freighter, beamed two BP aboard.
Surprisingly, there ARE no BP on the freighters.
It took three turns more to resolve the BP battle (quickly hastened however). The Rom freighter converted one crew unit (all that was available) to malitia. The Vulture managed to get close enough to beam 1 BP over (it only has one trans and its shuttles were sublight) which was just barely enough to tip the scale. The Romulan's retained control of the freighter and ultimately won the game.

Quite a good game.

Other than what was mentioned above as an ammendment to the rules, there should have been an additional single bubble (2 x #players +1) because on the onset of the first and second turn, it looked like it was going to be a four way tie.
That just sounded too politically correct for me.
One more bubble would fix that.

By Jim Davies (Mudfoot) on Sunday, March 24, 2002 - 04:04 pm: Edit

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Quote:

amazing how many cargo boxes weren't destroyed prior to the last excess box

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By Glenn Hoepfner (Ikabar) on Sunday, March 24, 2002 - 04:20 pm: Edit

We all completely forgot about that.
how 'bout that?
The freighter wouldn't have blown up. But the freighter did lose all its power nevertheless and the Fed POL wouldn't have been able to tow the wreckage away.
Good catch. I'll remember that for next time.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 03:01 am: Edit

You could say that the containment of the plasma requires one point of power. If the ship loses all its power then plasma is released to form a bubble in that hex. It would then expand to a mega hex the next impulse. If you wanted to.

By Glenn Hoepfner (Ikabar) on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 11:32 am: Edit

Unfortunately, that's too easy to do on the smaller freighters. 4 warp, 1 imp, 1 battery.
However, thinking about the forgotten annex 7E thingy, maybe freighters should be vulnerable to explosion while transporting even the smallest quantity of this plasma stuff.
Maybe this might be reflected by ignoring annex 7E when pertaining to cargo hits via excess damage rolls.
Too much?

By Robert Snook (Verdick) on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 12:22 pm: Edit

Glenn, the Fed only had one scoop, not two.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 01:53 am: Edit

Dkass asked why cargo boxs with plasma where known. Perhaps when a cargo box holding plasma is destroied(by damage of H&R) it causes a point or two additional.

By Richard Sherman (Rich) on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 07:59 pm: Edit

Let me guess who took the sublight Vulture...his initials are MM?

I am soooo glad I missed this game. I don't need the extra stress right now.

By Robert Snook (Verdick) on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 09:08 pm: Edit

You know him too well Rich...
Jesse is starting to catch on.

By Glenn Hoepfner (Ikabar) on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 11:48 am: Edit

The rule ammendment eliminates the possibility for now on, Rich.