Re: [Rules/OT] Shockforce?

>I just got hold of a copy of DBI's Shockforce rulebook. Interesting
little
>system if a bit lightweight and over-simplified (but probably popular
with
>some players for precisely that reason), 

Guilty!

>but my real reason for this post
>concerns the design/points system. I know from previous posts that a
number
>of list members play this, and given that the points system in SF is in
>some ways like some of the ideas that list members have suggested for
>possible SG/FMA design systems, I wondered if anyone had any long-term
>experiences with this?
>Specifically, has anyone done any kind of number-crunching excercise of
the
>SF design values to see if it hangs together under player-induced
stress or
>munchkinism, ie: have the values for the equipment/figure capabilities,
>advantages and disadvantages actually been worked out numerically or
are
>they just rule-of-thumb numbers?
>Please note I'm not asking this in order to knock another game system,
but
>out of genuine curiosity while we're developing FMA and other
stuff.....
>
>Jon (GZG)
>
>

Oddly enough, one of the Demonblade people just asked this today on the
Shock Force listserve.	He wanted to hear if anyone had uncovered any
major
loopholes in the point system.	

I personally cannot make any kind of judgement as to its mathematical
underpinnings, but I will say that in play, where it matters, the point
system holds up pretty well.  We have not, in several months of play,
found
any holes in it yet.  Then again, it has usually been one person
designing
all sides of the conflict.  I did learn, in my first game, that a bunch
of
badly armed Rabble have no real chance against a small force of elites. 
I
put it together literally at the last second, though, and did not bother
calculating the point values of each side.  I think now that I just
needed
a larger group of rabble.  And the elites using their prisoners as human
shields didn't help, really.

The Morale system, on the other hand, needs work.  Lots of it.

John Crimmins
Johncrim@voicenet.com