Re: [SG2] Bugs Don't Surf: Phalons - Public Beta Test

Hi Allan,

I'd just like to say "thanks very much" for the sneaky preview of your
Phalon ideas. I've only had time for a quick read so far but it looks
like an impressively comprehensive piece of work. I don't want to
comment in any great detail until I've had a chance to playtest but as
an intuitive reaction I'd just like to say:

I like the way you've essentially defined the Phalon's alien nature
through the mechanism of confidence and reaction without just making
them acid-drooling threshers whose idea of psychology is to eat it.

Pulsars look nasty but I think it's an alien essential that they're
generally more advanced than humanity in some important regard.
Otherwise, why would we be scared of them?

I appreciate the efforts you've made to trace your rules and background
back to the few Phalon clues so far revealed in the Tuffley-verse.

A couple of rules I can comment on because my group uses variations on
the theme:

Pulsars

Have you considered forcing all Pulsars to expend an action to change
modes? My group uses a couple of dual mode weapons and there's always a
delicious kind of agony attached to the decision of "Do I burn an action
trying to change to a better firing mode, or do I just carry on hoping
for the best in my current mode?"

Small Arms Impact Die

My group runs a variation of this rule which is simply "use the lowest
impact die when support weapons and small arms fire with one action".
The main spur with this rule in our games was the effect of Grenade
Launchers. An AGL's Firepower of D12 is meant to be balanced a little by
its D8 Impact. But if even one advanced assault rifle fired alongside
then Impact was hiked to D10 and beyond.

We erred on the side of lowest rather than most prevalent impact because
we wanted to encourage players to think about firing support weapons
separately from small arms rather than just throwing everything in at
once to rack up kills. Also it's highly unlikely that SAWs will
outnumber small arms with our squad configurations. Anyway, just thought
I'd share...

Cross-Training

Aha. We also dabble in this with some key variations. We introduced this
rule partly to bail out squads who lost their support weapon to an
early, lucky shot and partly to encourage squads to reorganise more
(rather than just follow standard procedure of using their own gunfire
to drown out the screams of the wounded). Therefore we allow squads to
check wounded and recover their support weapon in the same reorganise
action.

However the chances of recovering a support weapon in good condition are
considerably slimmer in my world. We started off requiring a 3+ to
reclaim and these days it's a 4+ (on D6). Otherwise, the attacker finds
it very difficult to get rid of the blasted things.

Cheers,
Mark

Allan Goodall wrote:

> There's been a lot of Full Thrust activity lately, what with the beta
> test release of the UNSC ships and weapon systems, and the proposed
> fighter changes. To this, I say, "Why should the vacc heads have all
> the fun?"
>
> So, with Jon's approval, I have posted some new material for
> Stargrunt II. On my web site you'll find the public beta test
> material for the Phalons. This information will soon be mirrored on
> the GZG store website. For now you can find on the HyperBear SG2
> pages. Here is the direct link:
>
> http://home.att.net/~agoodall/sg2/sg2-bds.html
>
> There are four files, but you only have to download one file. They
> are in Rich Text Format and Adobe Acrobat format, one file of each
> for 8.5" by 11" paper and one file each for A4 paper. Pick the file
> that best suits you.
>
> Make sure to read the "Disclaimer and Warning" section at the
> beginning of the document. These rules are in "beta test" format. In
> other words, they are not necessarily what will eventually appear in
> _Bugs Don't Surf_, the long anticipated SG2 supplement. Jon could
> completely supplant every word in the document. These are beta test
> rules, and they could turn out to have serious balance problems
> (though so far the playtesting has been very positive). They are
> released so that we can get some more playtesting from a wider
> audience, and so that the gropos will have some "new toys" to play
> with, too!
>
> I'm not going to pretend that we could limit discussion on the
> various mailing lists, but if you have any comments -- positive or
> negative (just try to keep them constructive) -- or questions, please
> contact me at agoodall@hyperbear.com.
>
> I think you will find the Phalons to be an interesting race to play
> and play against. They have some strengths and some weaknesses which
> may cause you to rethink your strategy. I'm particularly interested
> in hearing about how they "feel" in your games.
>
> --
>
> Allan Goodall 	       agoodall@hyperbear.com
> http://www.hyperbear.com
>
> "At long last, the earthy soil of the typical, unimaginable mortician
> was revealed!" - from the Random H.P. Lovecraft Story Generator:
> http://www.darkicon.com/Library/randsent.htm

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please reply to
this email and then delete it. Please note that any views or opinions
presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily represent those of Future. 

The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the
presence of viruses. Future accepts no liability for any damage caused
by any virus transmitted by this email. 

Future may regularly and randomly monitor outgoing and incoming emails
and other telecommunications on its email and telecommunications
systems. By replying to this email you give your consent to such
monitoring.