Prev: Re: more Laserlight's FT Lite rules Next: RE: Laserlight's FT Lite

Re: more Laserlight's FT Lite rules

From: agoodall@a...
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 22:09:16 +0000
Subject: Re: more Laserlight's FT Lite rules

Glen wrote:

> I wasn't asking about rounding on movement, just ranges.

You don't round ranges, either.
 
> So what range band is a target in at 12"?

The first range band. The range bands are 12" long. Some people say,
'12" - 24"' for the second range band, but this is just sloppy. It's
actually '>12" - 24"', which is what I tend to write.

>  12 1/16"? 12 1/2"?

Second range band.

> Frankly, I think that rule is stupid, but that's my opinion.	What
> sf show do people might see regularly?  Star Trek.  What do
> Star Trek ships do?  Shoot rearwards.  But that's a "universe"
> specific thing.

It's actually a tactics thing. Without the "no firing in rear arc" rule,
there's a lot less tactical maneuvering in FT. I like the rear arc rule
because it gives players a reason to get into another ship's rear arc,
and thus a bit more tactical complexity. There is so little tactical
complexity in a standard FT meeting engagement to begin with that any
little bit helps.

That having been said, I have stripped it out of games that I didn't
want to use it with. For instance, I did ships based, very roughly, on
the Russo-Japanese War. I allowed rear-arc firing, but I designed the
ships myself, making them long and skinny with better broadside firing
than fore or aft firing. There was tactical complexity built into the
ship designs. 

Of course, some players do away with this rule _and_ have simultaneous
fire in FT. *shrug*
 
> So I shouldn't place a couple sheets of these rules next to a
> Fleet Book sitting on the shelf in my store?

Ask Jon. He probably wouldn't mind.
 
--
Allan Goodall		   agoodall@att.net
http://www.hyperbear.com   agoodall@hyperbear.com
> (please people, change the subject line if you talk about something
> else)
> 
> > For the record, I thought the official answer was that you don't
> round. If
> > you're going at a speed of 9 mu, you move 4.5 mu in the first half
> of the
> > movement, and 4.5 mu in the second half of the movement.
> 
> I wasn't asking about rounding on movement, just ranges.
> 
> > As with the range bands, unless you see a contrary statement...
> 
> So what range band is a target in at 12"?  12 1/16"? 12 1/2"?
> 0-12 or 12-24?  I've seen this on charts.  Looks contrary to me.
> 
> 
> Re: speed and velocity
> I know there is a difference, but to a 11-year old, or anyone not
> into math/physics, they are not going to care.  (of course, these days
> a
> 11-year old is going to say "no cards?  game sucks" :( ).
> But, whatever; guess I'm being picky about easing into the game and
> keeping terminology at a minimum (and then I want to add systems,
> silly me. :) )
> 
> Re: firing out rear arcs
> Frankly, I think that rule is stupid, but that's my opinion.	What
> sf show do people might see regularly?  Star Trek.  What do
> Star Trek ships do?  Shoot rearwards.  But that's a "universe"
> specific thing.  B5 never shot backwards (they spun instead,
> but you cannot do that in cinematic movement).  Didn't the
> Millenium Falcon ever shoot its turreted weapons rearward?
> It looks like it could even with drives activated.
> Yeah, we house rule it away.
> 
> 
> So I shouldn't place a couple sheets of these rules next to a
> Fleet Book sitting on the shelf in my store?
> 
> 
> Don't misunderstand me, those Lite rules are great and keeping
> it down to one page is fantastic.  I agree, if there's only one thing
> to add it would be pulse torps to show another weapon system.
> 
> 
> Glen
> 

Prev: Re: more Laserlight's FT Lite rules Next: RE: Laserlight's FT Lite