Federation Commander

[Nerroth]

Hi.

This is probably going to read like an odd question, but what happens to damage points scored against Andro PA panels that are already full, and haven't had the chance to redistribute any of that power yet?

For example, say if a Viper's forward panel had 37 points of power by the end of Impulse #6. It can't pull any tricks until the end of the turn, according to (3G4). If an opponent lands a 9-point hit in Impulses #7 or #8, will the first three points fill the rest of the panel, with the last six going directly to internal damage?

Alternatively, is there some FC equivalent of SFB's panel degradation, which happens before internals are scored?


I have a little trouble getting the hang of SFB Andro rules at the best of times, but the matter came up when I tried to look at certain rules (which have unorthodox interactions with SFB PA panels) that I might have to try and convert over one day.
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[storeylf]

Damage that can't be absorbed by the panel is internal damage. There is no chance to transfer power around elsewhere at the point you are taking damage.

I don't think there is any degradation, not that I have a clue what that is in SFB (nor am I bothered), but there isn't anything that sounds like it in FC.

[mjwest]

[Nerroth]

So, to be clear, if a rule in SFB makes a distinction between 'permanent' (D10.321) and other panel damage, that would not exist when it comes to trying to convert that rule to FC?


To give an example, the PA panel interactions given in (OG10.12) for the Souldra dark matter damage procedure in SFB says that all of the damage inflicted by dark matter is 'permanent' (with "no leak or energy absorbed") as opposed to the 20% that more orthodox weapons fire causes according to (D10.321), and that any excess dark matter damage goes straight into internals.

(I'm guessing this means that Andro ships in SFB can't try some of their typical power tricks when hit by Souldra weapons; you can only transfer power that's not gone into degradation?)


In FC, would that distinction go away; in other words, were I to write DMDP rules for FC, would I be advised to simply have dark matter weapons fill up PA panels normally, or perhaps with a note about no burn through, or would I need to decide whether or not an Andromedan player getting shot at with dark matter weapons would be impeded from its typical round of panel clearing?
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[mjwest]

Correct, there is no "temporary" or "permanent" damage or degradation or anything. There aren't any "standard" or "reinforced" levels, either. Panels are either disabled and can hold no energy, or they are functional and can hold up to ten points of energy. There is no middle ground. One or the other.

For dark energy (which I know nothing about), you will have to decide how "special" it should be against the Andromedans. It could just be normal weapons damage/energy. Or, you could include special restrictions (maybe no burn through; maybe no dissipation; maybe something else). Regardless, you probably can't make a direct transfer from SFB.

And, anytime you can't make the direct transfer, you have to decide whether to ignore the whole issue, or make something up that gives a similar effect.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[storeylf]

[Nerroth]

Duly noted, thanks.


In the case of the Souldra, the reason they use the DMDP in SFB is because they are less interested in destroying enemy ships (which they can still do via scoring Excess Damage hits) than in disabling them, attaching vampiric Black Shards to their hulls, and feasting on the life energies of their crews. Since the Souldra can't do that against the Andromedans (for whatever unknowable reason, Andro crews, such as they are, cannot be drained in this manner) I'm guessing the unique DMDP procedure was intended to balance against this, by limiting the panel tricks an Andro force can pull when shot at by Souldra weapons.

Of course, since crew units don't exist in FC, I'd have to work out what to do about that first, before I then go and see how to handle an Andromedan exception.

But then, the Souldra won't be on the cards for a while anyway; my using them as an example was more to highlight cases where, in SFB, the issue of diverse Andro PA panel interactions come into play.
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[Kang]

Regarding degradation, I remember reading somewhere that this was one of the things they definitely did not want to put in FC because of its complexity.

I love the Andro rules as they are. They are simple and elegant, and they work. The only thing I miss is the partial directional control for displacement (if I roll this number, then it becomes this other number). In fact there is a remnant of this in the rules if you read them carefully, as if the rule was there but then was taken out. Still, you gotta draw the line somewhere
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