Federation Commander Forum Index Federation Commander
A NEW fast paced board game of starship combat!
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Romulan Armada Session Report

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Federation Commander Forum Index -> Starmada and Klingon Armada
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Jeffr0
Commander


Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Posts: 743

PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 6:05 pm    Post subject: Romulan Armada Session Report Reply with quote

Gorn BC and 2 CL's vs. 3 Romulan WE's:

http://boardgamegeek.com/article/5945333
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Steve Cole
Site Admin


Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 3827

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike Sparks is looking for photos of such a game (with minis) to use in the company video about starmada products. You might email photos to him at

Support@StarFleetGames.com
_________________
The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jeffr0
Commander


Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Posts: 743

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got Squadron Box #9 wrapped up for Christmas. It'll take some time to get 'em ready, though. Hopefully that fleet will go to war soon... with a paint job to boot...!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
madpax
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 31 May 2009
Posts: 49
Location: France

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, which torpedo mode do you prefer?

I feel that, for the first shot, if you suppose you will not lose your torp mounts, firing them in torpedo mode is better. As you said, it gives something to think for your opponent.
But when ships are closing, I would avoid this mode as you can lose your weapons during the shooting phase and thus lose the oportunity to fire them.

Marc
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bolo_MK_XL
Captain


Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 836
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Edited for comment: Forgot this was for Starmada, so can't say for sure it still applies --

If a torpedo is loaded and the launcher is hit (not actually the launcher but the breech) --- you still have a short period to launch the torpedo (cant fast load as that mechanism is destroyed) ---
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
madpax
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 31 May 2009
Posts: 49
Location: France

PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In starmada, there is no such rule. Contrary to other weapons, plasmas can be shot via two very different ways.
Either as a direct-shot weapon, akin to a photon torpedo, during the shooting phase, either as a seeker (aka-drone like) shooter, ie during the same phase when the drone raks are fired. Using the latter method, the plasma is materialized on the board (in the same way as in SFB/FC) and moved toward its target.
But, AFAIK, if a plasme mount is destroyed during the shooting phase, you can't wait to shoot it as seeker. Either your ship hasn't already shoot so it can fire it as a direct-fire weapon one last time, either it has already shot and the plasma is lost for good.

Marc
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Jeffr0
Commander


Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Posts: 743

PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

madpax wrote:
So, which torpedo mode do you prefer?

I feel that, for the first shot, if you suppose you will not lose your torp mounts, firing them in torpedo mode is better. As you said, it gives something to think for your opponent.
But when ships are closing, I would avoid this mode as you can lose your weapons during the shooting phase and thus lose the oportunity to fire them.

Marc


Unless I've completely misread the rules, there is only rarely a case where launching in torpedo mode is the best answer.

When to fire in Torpedo Mode
Jeff Johnson
USS Virginia (yep, I've relocated)

Unlike SFB, the plasma bolt is far more likely to hit and do significant damage than the plasma torpedo. This leads to just a few cases where it is the correct decision to fire plasma in torpedo mode:

a) When you are outside of maximum bolt range *and* you can cloak. (If you fire torps just out of bolt range while closing, you'll risk being hit by enemy heavy weapons while your own are recharging on the next turn.)

b) When your target has a down shield and firing in torpedo mode will give you a chance to put the plasma through it. (Also, as seeking weapons are resolved before direct-fire weapons, you can choose to target a shield facing that will make subsequent phaser fire more likely to penetrate. If you have ships closing to point blank range where their phasers each get three shots, this can be especially effective.)

c) When you have a significant advantage in the game and don't wish to squander it by gambling everything on a very small number of plasma bolt die rolls. At close range, the plasma torpedos will give you the chance to roll a *large* number of to-hit rolls each with a 50-50 chance of scoring an impact.

d) Large ships with shield ratings greater than three can be very difficult to damage. Against these targets, the larger number of die rolls in torpedo mode can also help, but even better... the torpedo hits are completely resolved one flight at a time. This means that any shield damage will take effect between plasma impacts-- significantly increasing the chance of subsequent hits causing damage.

Note however that, due to the cloaking device, the Gorns will probably never be firing in torpedo mode when fighting against Romulans.

[PS... this can be combined with my previous plasma tactic for an double sized term paper. Haven't seen the latest issue, yet, but I doubt it got printed.]

Edit:

Here's my old term paper from the discus board just so they're together:

WE ARE ALL DIRECT FIRE RACES NOW
Jeff Johnson, USS *VIRGINIA*

In the first place, plasma bolts are more accurate than plasma torpedoes. At short range they hit on 2 or better. At medium range, they hit on a 3 or better. These odds are better than that of a torpedo hit even if it can hit within a single turn! Granted, the torpedo will roll a number of dice equal to its size minus the amount of phaser damage it has taken. But the increased impact and damage scores of plasma bolts mean that they get multiple chances to get past shields for each hit... and extra damage rolls for those that do penetrate. A plasma-R can potentially do 9 points of damage this way-- compared to a maximum of 8 if it is fired as a torpedo instead.

Plasma torpedoes can be run out and whittled down, but weapons that are destroyed by plasma bolts won't be pestering you during the time it would have taken a torpedo to travel. At the same time, the Range Based ROF trait on phaser-1's means they'll get to fire three times against any plasma torpedoes with in five hexes while the Anti-fighter trait on phaser-3's means that those weapons will ignore the -1 ACC penalty for targeting plasma torpedo "fighter squadrons."

Their improved chances of hitting and their respectable impact and damage values make plasma bolts a much better option under Starmada than they were in Star Fleet Battles. The poor to-hit rolls for plasma torpedoes make them much less of the sure thing that they used to be. Finally, the massive amount of firepower that phasers can bring to bear on incoming seeking weapons mean that the direct fire bolting option will almost always be the correct choice for plasma races.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
csragamemaster
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 15 Dec 2010
Posts: 66
Location: Savannah GA

PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

IMHO the incredible accuracy of the plasma bolt in Starmada really unbalances the game. I would rate it with the carronade value at least. This weapon out shoots both disrupters and photons. Very nasty.
_________________
"The Galaxy Must by Ours!"
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1242646617

Gnomecon
Savannah Georgia's Newest Game Convention
April 19-21
http://gnomecon.org/
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Federation Commander Forum Index -> Starmada and Klingon Armada All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group