Re: [OFFICIAL] new ideas!

In message <199702220954.JAA26488@gate.flexnet.net>
jon@gzero.dungeon.com (Ground Zero Games) writes:
> OK everyone, I promised that from time to time we'd be posting some
> playtest ideas to this list to get some reactions, so here goes:
> 

Huzzah! This is better than those bar stewards down at GW. The 40k list
never 
gets any mail from any official source; keep it up! ;)

> 4) Rear-arc fire MAY be allowed (for weapons that bear there), but
ONLY in
> a turn in which the ship uses no thrust from its main drive... should
> change tactics a little and possibly help to avoid the "plughole"
effect of
> all ships circling madly in the centre of the table!
> 

Perhaps allow ships to fire rear arc weapons when ship is moving, but
not 
allowing the rear arc weapons to bear elsewhere. This is intended for
game 
balance, but if you need some fluff to balance it out then perhaps the 
sheilding from the ship's drive takes up space that servo mounts etc... 
normally would. That way you could have a decent set of guns all round,
and 
maybe a B class guarding yer a$$.

> 
> 6) Instead of four equal 90 degree fire arcs, we may change to
fore/aft
> arcs of 60 degrees each and side arcs of 120 degrees - this brings the
arcs
> in line with the 12 course directions, and makes fire arcs easy to
judge
> from a hexagonal model base (1 base side = 60 degrees, 2 = 120). Do
you
> think this will make a great deal of difference to the game, other
than
> (perhaps) making broadside mounts a little more acctractive?

I think it's great! The picture in the FT rulebook of a pair of ships 
exchenging broadsides is v good indeed; very "realistic". The idea of 
broadsides is quite a good one IMHO.

> 
> So, there are some ideas - think them over and let me know the
reactions -
> either to the list or direct email (at this stage, please don't send
loads
> of alternative rules - I'd appreciate just reaction to the above, so I
can
> gauge feelings on it.)
> 

Ooops. But by abd large a good set of ideas; any chance of a release
date for 
the new rulebook (I lost mine!).

> Many thanks!
> 
> Jon T. (GZG).
> 
> 
> 
Thomas Payne