Re: [GZG] New Campaign

["john tailby" <John_Tailby@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi

Our group got a bit frustrated with having the FT rules scattered over 
several books written at different times with possibly contradictory or 
inconsistent rulings. We could not find a complete set of the rules that 
consolodated the various books into one volume so we srote our own. We sent 
a copy to the FT creator but didn't get much of a response.

There isn't even a comprehensive set of playtest rules that we could find, 
and download to experiment with. there seem to be only parts of rule sets 
and ideas that some of the playtesters have shared, and they have not shared 
all the ideas.

There are no campaign rules as such written into the FT rules. Our group has 
made a version of the campaign style that we as a group like. This has an 
emphasis on games rather than accountants in space.

Our supply rules are handled similar to many board games with a check to see 
if you are in supply rather than having to model freighters. You can still 
cut fleets supply lines with fast moving frigates and these need to be 
hunted down by destroyers.....

We created a way to regulate how ships moved around the map. Initially this 
was proportional to the thrust of the engines. Unfortunately this makes home 
design biotech ships very fast because they can all have ludicrous levels of 
thrust. it also means that most bioships have about the same level of 
thrrust regardless of size. When the organic battleships are all able to 
move 6 hexes and normal tech battlships can move 2-4 its a big strategic 
advantage. In the latest iteration we have fixed the strategic move to the 
size of the ship.

There are several sites that have invented additional technologies, weapons 
and systems. Our group has borrowed heavily from these sources and invented 
some of our own inspired by various scifi shows. These new systems are 
entirely optional so its still possible to play classic FT with the 
fleetbook ships.

My Dalek Fleet has
Pulse torpedos,
Gattling balsters
Scatterpacks
Salvo missiles
Fighters with robot modification
Regerating armour
variable hull rows
Super Advanced FTL.

So I have a mix of close range direct fire weapons and a longer range 
ordinance attack.
I chose technologies that reflected what I saw of Dalek Technology. Daleks 
are masters of Time travel and show all over the place.
the have short range energy blasters that are pretty nasty, they have also 
fired pulses of energy from their ships. Daleks have also had tough metal 
skins so I went with 3 hull rows, they also have regerating shielding so I 
have regerating armour. Dalkes have also used missiles and can send hordes 
of Daleks out into space like their fighter craft. I don't think these will 
be as effective as a dedicated space fighter though.

Most players in our cmpaigns pice a race from a scifi show and theme their 
technoloiges from the capabilites described for that race.

I made some new ship models that look like the 2005 series Dalek Saucers. I 
actually used GW flying bases to make the basic saucer shape. Glue 2 bases 
together to make the saucer. Details like the domes and bulges were made my 
moulding some components. I made weapon mounts, scout ships and some other 
components out of beads. You can get some nice spherical hull shapes from 
craft shops.

I have bout a lot of the GZG ORC fighters the (=) shaped ones as the fighter 
squadrons. Some of the ships are gunships with a mostly direct fire attack 
and some are carriers with a missile and fighter attack.

So far I have had 3-4 skirmishes with the Grey.
The Grey have an interesting tactical approach.
The main fighting ship they have deployed in large numbers is a micro 
carrier.
This ships is ~
mass 13
Hull 2
FTL1
Drive 1
Mounts a hanger and launch tube containig a squadron of attack fighters with 
fast and heavy modifications. (so quite tough)
The ship also has stealth hull so is hard to hit from long range.
The basic doctrine in our hyperspace engagements is to jump in as far away 
from the enemy fleet as possible at speed 1. Stop, turn round and then 
activate FTL and exist the table top.
This leaves the fighters to do the work.
The micocarriers are also accompanied by a mass 3 banzi jammer that can 
attract long range fire or ordinance attacks.

In the battles so far I have killed 3 micorcarriers and 3 scouts for the 
loss of 1 destroyer and one microscout so about a 3-1 kill ratio.
In one game I entered close enough to the enemy ships to engage them with 
direct fire weapons before they could launch ordinance and close with and 
killed a second carrier and escort before it could escape.

My ships have in return been driven off by the fighter attacks and I have a 
couple of ships that were crippled. So far the battles have gone my way and 
the grey doctrine hase proved to be relatively ineffective against other 
opponents as well.

Will have to see what next turn will bring.


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