Re: Vector movement

Jon's and Mike's vector movement system can be found on Mark's Page. 
(URL... don't remember, but do a net search for "Full Thrust space
combat")

On Mon, 17 Mar 1997, Ground Zero Games wrote:

> First off, we've done several sessions of testing on the "true vector"
> system for FT itself that we posted to this list some time ago (I
think
> they are still out there on some of the web pages); most of the
players
> liked it a lot, and one got so good at it by just the second game that
he
> managed to slide his cruiser round, just grazing the table edge, then
> pouring on the thrust to bring him back into a lovely tactical
position
> right behind the enemy....

While I haven't become that good at it, your test results agree with my 
experiences too. Easy to use, once you've learned not to go to too high
a 
speed <g>

> ...we will be using it as an
> ALTERNATIVE to the "normal" FT movement, NOT as a replacement.

Very good. 

> The key
> thing is that you DON'T need to do any calculations at all (unless you
> consider measuring one distance and rounding it to the nearest inch to
be a
> "calculation"...!),

Well... "calculation" could be interpreted as "pre-planning" too <g> 
You certainly need that with both the Full Thrust movement and the 
vectorial system...

> I'm sure the guys at Wireframe/Chamaeleon won't object to me telling
you
> that the FT/B5 rules are using BOTH movement systems; the EA and other
> "young" races get to use newtonian vectors, while the Minbari etc. use
a
> development of the original FT movement to simulate their "grav"
drives.
> The Centauri use the vector system but with some tweaks of their own,
as
> they retain some of the more advanced technology from their imperial
> heyday.

As long as it stays simple, it's good. Mixing the two systems can give 
really fun results! (...battles between my GW Eldar "solar sailing"
ships vs 
any others have featured this mix. It gets a bit hard to determine where

the enemy will go when you use another movement system yourself <g>)

> ...I've
> seen a few players make some awful mistakes in navigation using the
regular
> FT rules...:)

<grumble> Like placing the enemy capitals in the rear arc of my 
pulse-torp destroyers rather than the other way round >:(

Later,

Oerjan Ohlson

"Life is like a sewer.
 What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
 -Hen3ry