Re: Using the EF Sourcebook

John Crimmins wrote:
> 
>	  I'm just a bit curious...is there anyone else who purchased
the EF
> Sourcebook just to get some new weapons/systems/ideas for Full Thrust?
 I
> like B5, don't get me wrong, but I have no real interest in fighting
> battles in the B5 universe.  Or the Star Trek Universe, or the Star
Wars
> Universe....	I don't like having my ideas of how a ship should be
designed
> and used being constrained by someone else's imagination, no matter
how
> creative that person might be.
> 
>	  Personally, I am going to be incorperating a lot of the stuff
from the EF
> Sourcebook directly into my Full Thrust games, with the Beam Weapons
being
> the first addition.  I'm not sure how to mass the damn things, though;
does
> anyone have any ideas?  I'm not particularly worried about the point
costs,
> as I am the only one in our group who is designing ships and
scenarios, and
> I don't think that perfectly balanced sides are neccessary, or even
> desirable, for a game.
> 
>	  And what do people think about using the "roll each six again"
and the
> catastrophic damage rules?  I'm going to give them a go in our next
game
> (Playtesting for an upcoming game at Shorecon in New Jersey) to see
how
> they work.  Has anyone else tried them, and if so, what were the
results?
> Too bloody?  Inquiring minds want to know!
> 
> John Crimmins
> johncrim@voicenet.com

John,
     Not related to EFSB, or B5, or Star Wars, ect.   One of the aliens
I have designed has a low grade scattergun, reloadable, does 1 point
on a 1-3, two points on a 4-6, and a reroll on a 6 only for 1 or 2
points and a reroll on a six, ect.   The people who have tried the 
SSD (Ship Splitter Defence) consider it somewhat ugly.	 The cost 
and conditions of use balance it out in the overall ship design.
A standard 'Ileari' destroyer follows:
Mass   = 18
Thrust = 5
FCS
C     PF
C     SF
B     F(H) (The 'H' is forward hemisphere, 9 O'clock to 3.)
SSD   F(H) (max range 12 inches)
SSD   PF
SSD   SF

MOTES:
1) Thrust 5 is the maximum any ship may use.  Larger ships
   have lower thrust ratings.
2) Two 'C' beams must be mounted prior to mounting a 'B' beam.
3) No fire arc may be greater than 180 degrees.
4) All ships are built in multiples of 18 mass.
Note: The remaining mass is taken up with advanced sensors and 
additional special equipment limited to this race.  

While the SSD is considered ugly, the restriction on thrust, arc,
and other weapons generally tend to make people shy away from the 
use of this race.

     I have never considered that an alien race needs to completely
obey the build rules of the game designer.   What I need to do
in the design of the 'New Race' is be certain that it is comparible
(but not necessarly equal) to the human forces of a similar
point value.
     At present I am trying to split the difference between the 
Human and the Kra'Vak.	 Those who have tried my (developed) 
aliens feel that A Human force will have a challenge and that the 
Kra'Vak will have a more difficult time than with a Human force of
equal point value.  (Basically I think they are juat about right.)
     I am a firm believer in the 'First Contact' game where the 
person in charge gives out only the information necessary to the 
players and the remainder must be gained by observation.

     The piramid die roll has been around for a long time in a 
number of different forms so have fun with the concept.
      
Well it's getting late,
Bye for now,
John L.