Re: [GZG] FT Dice Roller

This gets back to one premise I find in all miniatures games.  Most
players 
can't keep track of more the 12 "things".  Now	a "Thing" could be a
squad 
in SG, a Brigade in Fire and Fury or a ship or Fighter Sqdn in FT.  Once
you 
reach that point the game really slows down.  In FT you could probably
add 
half of your opponents ships as part of that threshold.  More "things" =

more time and more "oh I forgot that one".

Michael Brown
mwsaber6@msn.com

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Tom B" <kaladorn@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 3:12 PM
To: <gzg-l@mail.csua.berkeley.edu>
Subject: Re: [GZG] FT Dice Roller

> Damond,
>
> I've noticed at convention games what you say is true. The average
> group must be quite pokey at entering orders. With our group in
> Ottawa, I found that there was a 'morale penalty' for being the last
> one done orders (the others all made remarks about your lackadaisical
> pace) so one learned to be fast. We don't allow pre-measuring, so
> there was no 'measure, think, more measure, more think' in the orders
> phase.
>
> Usually when I'm at ECC, unless I'm the last one firing in the round,
> my orders for the new turn are written before the current turn ends. I
> always find it funny when the GM (used to dealing with folks who take
> more time) points out 'people have started writing orders now' because
> I look like I'm sitting wool-gathering and I get to reply 'Mine have
> been written for several minutes now'.
>
> I don't think an electronic tool will do anything to solve this. If
> you can't write 'PP1, MD1, RP1, Fire SM 1' or something like that in
> negligible time, the problem is you need a stenographer or else the
> time is NOT being consumed in transcription but in decision making. No
> tool will speed that up.
>
> If you have a specific idea about how a tool could speed that up,
> other than the ubiquitous kitchen timer sound alarm (which still won't
> speed people up unless you inflict a big penalty if they don't get
> them done and even then this may ruin their enjoyment of the game),
> I'd be glad to hear it.
>
> People just need to learn that most of the time, the minute details of
> your planning don't make that much difference. At times, yes, but
> mostly not.
>
> The only time it matters much is if you are trying to dodge template
> weapons (then being as unpredictable as possible is the way to go,
> assuming you've got enough thrust to dodge them at all.... often not
> the case in vector...) and the turn where your fleets interpenetrate.
> Then you just try to arrange to be somewhere your main batteries can
> shoot at something. In vector, this is fairly easy, in cinematic
> harder but still not that hard.
>
> 10-15 minute order phases will tend to eat 45-60 minutes or more in a
> 4 hour slot. Counting pips will probably eat the same if it's a big
> engagement. At least that seems to be what I see at ECC.
>
> Tom
>
> -- 
> http://ante-aurorum-tenebrae.blogspot.com/
> http://www.stargrunt.ca
>
> "He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy
> from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a
> precedent that will reach to himself." -- Thomas Paine
>
> "When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of
> liberty quits the horizon." -- Thomas Paine
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