Velocity & SPD

[SpydirShellX]

How do velocity and SPD relate? For example do you calculate the damage somebody does with a move through/by on only the hexes moved that phase or does speed somehow enter into it?

[archermoo]

Straight out of the book it is the number of inches of velocity, determined by the Acceleration, Deceleration, and Gravity section on FREd 238. Basically, you can accelerate by 5" per phase per 1" you move, up to your maximum combat velocity (how many inches of movement you have).

[SpydirShellX]

My problem with that is that a person with 1 more SPD gets to move that distance an additonal time.

For Example:

Character A - 3 SPD 7" - 21" in 12 seconds
Character B - 4 SPD 6" - 24" in 12 seconds

A doesn't move as far in one turn as B does, but because his movement is less, he has less velocity.

[Fuzzy Gnome]

Somewhere in the back of Fred there's a kinda techy Velocity Factor calculation that bases damage on Inches per Turn. I don't recall if it's the same page as Velocity Based DCV but it's basically the same formula.

[mattingly]

Character A - 3 SPD 7" - 21" in 12 seconds
Character B - 4 SPD 6" - 24" in 12 seconds

Sure, B has hore distance and more options (since he has a higher speed), but it cost him 5 times as much as B. Going from 3/6" to 3/7" is 2 points, but going from 3/6" to 4/6" is 10 points. That should provide a lot more benefits.

[Monolith]

Originally posted by SpydirShellX
A doesn't move as far in one turn as B does, but because his movement is less, he has less velocity.

You gain velocity a 5" of velocity for 1" moved. So if you have 20" of Flight you are at full velocity after only moving 4". You cannot gain anymore velocity than your maximum. The distance moved has nothing to do with your maximum velocity.

[Talon]

Originally posted by SpydirShellX
My problem with that is that a person with 1 more SPD gets to move that distance an additonal time.

For Example:

Character A - 3 SPD 7" - 21" in 12 seconds
Character B - 4 SPD 6" - 24" in 12 seconds

A doesn't move as far in one turn as B does, but because his movement is less, he has less velocity.

If this bugs you, there are a couple things you can do:

1) Take SPD into account when considering movement (especially for Normal Characteristic Maxima). For example, a SPD 2 character can have 10" of Running (20" a Turn), but a SPD 4 character would hit NCM at 5".

2) House rule movement so that it's bought per-Turn instead of per-Phase. The quick version is to double everyone's base movement (i.e., 12" per Turn Running, 4" per Turn Swimming for starting characters), then charge half-normal for movement powers.

3) Deal with it. Easier to do in superheroic games, where everyone has crazy powers anyway, than in heroic games.

[Dr Avenue]

Originally posted by SpydirShellX
How do velocity and SPD relate? For example do you calculate the damage somebody does with a move through/by on only the hexes moved that phase or does speed somehow enter into it?

In the latest Danger Room my players learned how SPD, inches of Running/Flying and velocity relate.

They learned that you have to accellerate to your full combat velocity in order to make a half-move (otherwise it would be a full move) and that in 5E you can only accellerate (+5 inches velocity per hex travelled up to combat max, not counting Adders) OR deccellerate (-5 inches velocity per hex travelled up to combat max, not counting Adders) in your Phase, not both. Thus, they had to plan they movements more carefully on the map or they'd find that they couldn't stop in time before hitting an obstacle.

Plus, it gave the martial artists something to do with their held phases. Hold phase, wait for opponent to accel & move, use held phase on following, or later in the same, segment (since the foe is "in motion") to reach out & grab and add all that extra velocity damage to the martial manuever.

To help people keep track we have color coded markers to put next to your figure & the bad guys to remind you who is accellerating, deccellerating, stopped or maintaining thier velocity, i.e. staying at a certain number of inches Running/Flying.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Dr Avenue
In the latest Danger Room my players learned how SPD, inches of Running/Flying and velocity relate.

They learned that you have to accellerate to your full combat velocity in order to make a half-move (otherwise it would be a full move) and that in 5E you can only accellerate (+5 inches velocity per hex travelled up to combat max, not counting Adders) OR deccellerate (-5 inches velocity per hex travelled up to combat max, not counting Adders) in your Phase, not both. Thus, they had to plan they movements more carefully on the map or they'd find that they couldn't stop in time before hitting an obstacle.

Plus, it gave the martial artists something to do with their held phases. Hold phase, wait for opponent to accel & move, use held phase on following, or later in the same, segment (since the foe is "in motion") to reach out & grab and add all that extra velocity damage to the martial manuever.

To help people keep track we have color coded markers to put next to your figure & the bad guys to remind you who is accellerating, deccellerating, stopped or maintaining thier velocity, i.e. staying at a certain number of inches Running/Flying.

Sounds like work to me. I may have to play around with movement to get the hang of this nuance - maybe I will see potential in it.

[Chaosliege]

Originally posted by SpydirShellX
My problem with that is that a person with 1 more SPD gets to move that distance an additonal time.

For Example:

Character A - 3 SPD 7" - 21" in 12 seconds
Character B - 4 SPD 6" - 24" in 12 seconds

A doesn't move as far in one turn as B does, but because his movement is less, he has less velocity.

Look at it this way. Char A is the football jock who gets a great jump and hits full speed quickly. Char B is the Runner. Fit and trim, able to keep momentom beause he has more endurance. Sure the runner eventually overtakes the Footbal player, but if Char A hits you in that first few seconds, it hurts.