Gemini Ascendant Campaign

[ghost-angel]

I like the Star Hero - so from my POV I would like to continue that if possible.

Though - we must dedicate a session to fiinishing Adventurers Inc!

As for a FH game, I've actually had the best luck if the characters start around 50+50 (or around 100pts) or less and go up from there, isntead of starting higher. But that's my personal preference.

[solron915]

You would have lost the bet Nol. I would have to pick a Ulronai. As I have a character from a previous game. But an upright dragon way to cool. I still would like to plat Star Hero instead. You should look at Kulthea for a game of FH. There is alot going on in the arena alot more then TA.

[Nolgroth]

In regards to whether we continue the Space Opera campaign or switch to something different, let's wait and see how this week's session concludes. What I hope not to have happen is for the session to end on a cliff hanger that requires Shr'kaak for the next session. I am trying to come up with some method to remove Shr'kaak temporarily from the game. I'll have to consider that for a bit.

In regards to the starting points for Fantasy HERO, depends on what we are trying to accomplish. For a one shot game, a few more points would be nice. For an ongoing campaign, I would be more than tempted to start lower (50+50). We are nowhere near that decision though. I would point out that this is an ideal time to do some playtesting of ideas I have, but that will be decided later.

And Solron, Ulronai was my second choice.

[Starwolf]

Well, I have to tell you that when I told Terrie you "might" run FH she almost had an orgasm... that is her favorite genre... though she was quick to assure me that she is up for what ever we do. She typically plays a female barbarian warrior ala Sonja the Red or Xena.

As I said I am up for anything, I would like to continue SH as I am having a blast. We do need to finish, or continue PH, and as I said above I really enjoy FH. SO you can put me squarely on the fence in regards to what we play...

[solron915]

And Drakine would have been my second choice . But a warrior/ wizard is my favorite character and the Ulroai fits the bill. I'm sure you'll figure something out as to what we are going to do during the time Presto is away having fun.

[Starwolf]

Ok tonight was cool, ever since I saw that manuever on SG1 I have wanted to scoop someone out of space without smushing them... and tonight my dream came true... Thanks for being my guniea pig Sam....

[Nolgroth]

Okay, I have to agree that, even with all my foibles, it was a good game. Some things I need to do. I am going to re-write the Gemini. No offense intended 'wolf, but I need to know the write-up inside and out. I also need to take a real good look at the examples in AW, STK and TE. That will give me the chance to get to know the vehicle rules a bit better. [EDIT: The more I look at the write-up, the less problems I have with it. I removed one of the force fields. Two seemed redundant. Also, I was looking at the Armor. Wasn't there a similar discussion about layering defenses regarding the Draco armor? I have to go back and look at everything, so I might be off base here. Anyway, if everything is okay, then the ship has a basic DEF of 10 + 10 for the hull + 21 for the Ablative + 15 Ablative Force Field for a total of 56 DEF. Since I am using the alternate Ablative rules, the ship would not have taken any BODY, but the Force Field would have dropped and the Ablative armor brought down to an 18 DEF (until repaired). So currently, the Gemini is running with 10 + 10 + 18 + 15 = 53 DEF. If the Ablative armor takes any additional damage, that may drop. That's one tough cookie of a ship. Also means I understated the scout ship DEF by about 30 - 40 DEF. Water under the bridge, but of interest to note for further reading.]

Also, I'm not sure where the torpedo write-up came from, but I wasn't happy with it. I am a firm believer the torpedoes should be separate vehicles unto themselves, complete with Computer, movement systems and the whole enchilada. The whole IF. THEN, ELSE thing about the time it takes to hit makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. [Edit: Found my original write-up and scaled it up to the appropriate levels. Also thinking about creating smaller, less destructive but faster missiles. One day Sam may actually get to fly that fighter she's craving.]

Now I make a hearty congratulations (again) on totally going a way that I would not have anticipated. Thank you. As frustrating as it was to create "on the fly" stats for two ships and come up with a reasonable plan of action, I learned an invaluable lesson in preparation. I won't soon repeat that mistake.

So now comes the inevitable questions. They all boil down to "what do you want to see added or removed from the game?"

1. Do you want to have more vehicle combat? It hasn't been an even passing part of the game until tonight, but we still had some fun with the role-playing combat portion. Interesting to me.
2. Do you want to keep the relative power levels about where they are or do you want to expand it to more dramatic tactical combat levels. I'm not necessarily talking supers here, but something more akin to action movie hero levels with Super Skills and some sort of Cinematic Action Points.
3. Anything else I'm not addressing?

[Starwolf]

Ahem... OK you may the GM but lets get one thing straight...

I am not now and have never been offended ... so no offense taken

I agree heartily with any and all changes you wish to make... you are after all OUR GM... it is by your whim that our characters even exist (has your head started swelling yet). I do however offer any assistance you may desire... as far as being familair with game material... its all good.

I look forward to seeing the new write up. We did indeed have a discussion concerning layering redundant types of shields and armor, and I agree we should not, it is needlessly complex for a game. As for the write up of the torpedoes... it is a custom write up. The only thing I found was the nuclear space missile that does some 20d6k explosion, and I thought that would be way to much so I cut it in half, but in hind sight maybe I should have gone for 1/4 damage

As for what direction the game is going... I personally think it is already headed in the direction of Heroic cinematic action... And I am completely satisfied with the game style we currently have. I think the vehicle combat ran ok with a good mix of character role play and game mechanics. There is a great section in TUV that talks about cinematic game mechanics for vehicle combat... in fact that is where I pulled the evade manuaver I tried from. I do think that development of superskills... or certain skill applications like those listed in TUSK are certainly appropriate. But I think that any skill development should be taken in steps within the game. For example when I initially buy a skill, after the initial game, I first buy only familiarity, then later IF I have tried to use the skill, and/or devoted game time to study I will buy the skill up to a normal level of skill, then later maybe add skill levels. This shows slow realistic skill development.

Cinematic Action points are cool.

The only other thing I can think of is you mentioned that you wanted to take a look at the use of Psionics...

More later... must sleep now

[Nolgroth]

So let's dissect the Gemini write-up section by section. We will start with Power Systems, as the actual stat block is pretty easy to figure out.

Fusion Power Plant 160 END 160 REC
This basically means on each Post - 12 Recovery, all the power is replensished to the various sections. Let's take a look at those sections (getting in to other sections a bit, but only for the END cost). The Gemini's speed is 3, so that means;

• Running the Force Field* will use 90 END per Turn
• Plasma Rockets use Fuel Charges, so no END cost.
• Running the Inertial Compensation field would cost 6 END per Turn
• Artificial Gravity would cost 9 END per Turn
• Life Support is another 6 per turn.

So every Turn, there is an overhead cost of 111 END, leaving 49 END for other systems.

• Scanners can use up to another 10 Points of END
• Now this is the big surprise, Lasers** use Charges? Huh? Another discussion for another day, but if they used END, it would cost between 8 - 12 END per shot. So, at most three to four shots with the laser.
• The Jump drive uses 36 END.

There is also a backup Power Supply listed as another 20 END 20 REC. That could allow another shot to two shots with the Lasers (if they used END)

This is provided for informational purposes only. For the role that the ship is intended to perform, those number make a great deal of sense. It also makes the crew decide whether the Force Field* is worth having or an extra few rounds of laser fire would be better and how much of a balance is going to be needed. Nice to see that the basic functions of the ship are well within the operatonal END and the other systems get to scuffle over the rest.

* I am probably going to rewrite the Force Field as a Force Wall. I remember seeing a sectional Force Wall write-up somewhere. That will likely change the END cost.

** Lasers are bothering me. The whole Charges thing doesn't make sense. Neither does placing something like the Lasers on the END reserve where they cost the same as scanners. I'm probably going to give them an Increased END cost and maybe hike the value of the Reserve up a bit. I might even give them a separate Reserve with a slower Recovery. I might also increase the Auxillary Power Supply to 21/21 and run all of the essential systems off of that. That means if the main Reserve is exhausted, you don't start floating and gasping.

Discuss.

[Starwolf]

The seperate reserve for the lasers with a slower recovery makes sense. It sort of simulates some type of capacitor that holds a charge and takes time to recharge.... we could even use a house rule that stipulates the laser reserve always starts at 0 end and only starts to charge when the weapons are activated... I can see it now, the bad guys are closing and it will take a full turn (4 phases) before the lasers are hot and ready to fire

I think there is a discussion either in TUV or SH about sectional force shields built as force wall with limited coverage, and then purchased with the +5 for multiple copies advantage, twice to give 4 sections.

[ghost-angel]

I like the idea of Lasers using either Recoverable Charges (like X Charges Recover per Y Time Increment) or a seperate END Reserve, they should use a seperate power battery than the rest of the ship.

That adds some tension to the whole ship combat thing, you have to make shots count because you can only get off so many so quickly.

The discusion on stacked defenses - it's techincally illegal (by 5ER) to buy the same Defense Power (such as Armor) twice and Advantage one without Advantaging the other (like with Hardended). And it may be limited to Hardened, would have to double check. But it has been established in all the Terran Empire Settinb books that this ruling is firmly ignored - so we could too if desired.

Tone-
I like space ship fights - it's one of my favorite parts of the whole Space Opera thing. We don't need them all the time, but definitely making it a part of the game would be cool. And every once in a while - a massive epic space battle would be neat.

Power Level, I kind of like it where it is, but we do have to go somewhere don't we. If we keep it about this level that usually means everyone's skill set expands until they all pretty similar, which is fairly bland. On the other hand if it gets too cinematic it does border on feeling like supers a bit.

Psionic - random thought, if the power level gravitates towards that end, it keeps the Skills Normal, while allowing us to get a more cinematic epic type feel. But we'd have to be careful to make sure everyone took a different "flavor" of psionics I think.

[ghost-angel]

Ok tonight was cool, ever since I saw that manuever on SG1 I have wanted to scoop someone out of space without smushing them... and tonight my dream came true... Thanks for being my guniea pig Sam....

Sam had confidence you could do it.

Well, sort of. She really didn't notice until the ship was on top of her, she was too busy cursing up a storm that the fighter slipped out of her grasp. She was so close. So close.

I'm sure, had she noticed you were flying at her like you did, she'd have been confident you could pull the maneuver off.

[Starwolf]

BTW it just occured to me...

The person rescued in SG1 by that manuever was Colonel Sam Carter (A female air force officer). And you have a female ex-officer named Sam... There isn't any coincidence in the names is there?

[ghost-angel]

BTW it just occured to me...

The person rescued in SG1 by that manuever was Colonel Sam Carter (A female air force officer). And you have a female ex-officer named Sam... There isn't any coincidence in the names is there?

Never seen SG1, so not really. But it is a rather cool coincidence.

[Nolgroth]

Charges vs. END Reserve. Charges are way more simple. My only problem is figuring out how fast the charges recover. Could be way easier to stick with the charges and handwave about 1 charge recovering every 20 minutes or so. Keeps the write-up simple and still simulates the fact that you can't go willy nilly with the laser batteries. In fact, that makes a huge amount of sense and to avoid time consuming rewrites, I'm going to go with that.

1 charge per 20 minutes equals 3 charges per hour recovered. Roughly 13 hours and 20 minutes to fully recharge weapon systems. Seems excessively long. How about 1 charge every 5 minutes. That's 12 charges per hour or 3 hours and 20 minutes to fully recharge. That's better.

Warships of all sizes would probably dedicate more power to weapon systems so their charges might recover faster, say 1 charge per minute. Hmmmn, not that it matters, but the Recoverable charges modifier might in turn be modified by a sort of Extra Time additional modifier to represent how quickly the weapon systems recharge.

Recharging weapon systems would pretty much provide incentives for missiles and non-energy weapons. Yeah, that works. So, we will leave the lasers as they are and go with the handwavium for the recharge time. As I get into building more write-ups, I probably will integrate some sort of time modifier on the Recoverable charges. Just to provide a benchmark if nothing else.

Thanks for the input.