Re: FT3 DEVELOPMENT QUESTION: FTL

I'm a little behind - but I wanted to comment on the use of "arrival out
of
FTL" rules: I've done a number of my convention games with something
along
those lines. I can't remember if what I use is similar to the original
rules, or if I've houseruled it completely - but I usually make each
ship
plot an arrival jump point before the game, and then on the first three
turns the players make a roll per ship to see if they arrive on that
turn
(usually it's a 1 to arrive on the first turn, 1-2 for the second turn,
and
so forth - by the 6th turn everyone is on the table). When they arrive,
they roll a D12 for direction and a D6-1 for distance and displace their
arrival from the plotted jump point.

It's worked pretty well to mix things up - you make plans for your
fleet,
but you're at the mercy of the dice as to where and when each ship will
actually arrive. For new players its also kind of nice because the first
couple of rounds they're getting the hang of things with just a couple
of
ships and as more ships arrive things get more complex. It just sucks
when
your SDN doesn't arrive until late into the fight.

On Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 5:39 AM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:
>
> Roger and Hugh, you both make very valid points here, and I'd be
> interested in everyone else's opinions on it too.
>
> It is entirely true that FTL has no game effect in the majority of
> situations - I don't know how many players have ever used the "arrival
out
> of FTL" rules in a game….anyone here? The only other real effect
that you
> get in game terms by having FTL drives as a separate ship system is
that
> loss of them will strand the damaged ship in-system by making escape
to FTL
> impossible, but again that is quite a minor factor and more of use in
> campaign terms than a one-off game.
>
> As a completely off-the-cuff suggestion, that I haven't thought
through at
> all, how about doing away with the FTL drive as a "paid for" system
and
> making it into a fourth Core System alongside the Command (Bridge),
Life
> Support and Power Core icons?
>
> Feel free to discuss the ramifications of this, or indeed any other
ideas
> on the matter…….
>
> Jon (GZG)
>