Re: [FT] Savasku Pods

on 5/10/01 8:18, David Griffin at carbon_dragon@yahoo.com wrote:

> If you try these rules, and the Savasku lose a lot
> no matter who is playing them (in order to discount
> the possibility that the better or worse player
> tactically is playing them), then you might be
> able to draw that conclusion. I don't think that
> will happen, but I admit I'm not an authority.

Another way of testing these is setting up canned scenarios and test
runs
with several varied tactical approaches.  Otherwise an individual
players
luckiness factor with initiative and weapons fire can also make a big
difference.  Another bonus to the canned and repeated scenario play is
that
some/all of the runs can be done solo as to permit the interjection of
averages (or abnormalities if warranted) to the run to witness the
results.

If I can get my game table uncovered from the mess that remains part of
my
basement I'll have some quick small runs at some testing (having several
inches of water a month ago across the entire floor prompted much late
night
lifting of items off the floor - not to mention that some of the pumps
have
run nearly constantly for the past two months to keep the water level
below
that of the basement floor except for the one occasion).

>> All in all I believe part of the problem with
>> monstrous SV ships is similar
>> to that of designing any monstrous sized ship for
>> any race.  Specifically
>> the ability to fire all your offensive power near or
>> at the beginning of the
>> fire phase (assuming sequential fire), ...
> 
> We've seen large ships in our game designed with
> human technology and they don't seem to be unbalancing
> in the way that large custom Savasku are.

True.  My main point though is that large custom ships of any fleet can
be a
little unbalancing in many situations when going against smaller, more
numerous and balanced designs.	As the large custom SV ships issues are
addressed I feel it's best if we can separate the factors that make
large
custom SV ships more unbalanced from those that can make all large
custom
ships a little more powerful.  Allowing us to address those factors only
unique to the SV, possibly permitting us to not downgrade regular SV
ships
that are reasonably balanced at the moment.  The Power Generator issue
is
probably one of these "separate" factors.  However, my experience and
play-testing indicates that adjusting the overall cost of them across
the
board doesn't balance cost properly over the entire size spectrum of SV
ships.

> Maybe what we need is a FT Tactics manual?

A good and interesting idea.  There are some very interesting tactics
that
don't apply to other game systems which aren't evident at least in the
beginning to many players as I'm sure many, including myself, can attest
to.

Kevin Walker
Horizon Concepts, Inc.
Macintosh / Windows Development