Re: New Wargame Website (chance to be a critic)

> G'day Jeremey,
> 
> The concepts look pretty good, but I haven't had time to double check 
> whether the costung and chit allocations make sense (I'll try and do
that 
> over the holidays). Just a couple of things for now.

The points system was one of the hardest things to work out. Even now I
don't t
hink
Ive got it right.
OOOh going to double check it later....I'd better start revising :)

> Segmented Chitin Armour (SC) - I can understand the restriction on 
> elasticity, but I wouldn't necessarily ban stuff that needs cargo
space or 
> SMS. A lot of chitinous animals have special pouches or chambers built
in 
> that allow them to store stuff or have buried wells of stuff they can
fire 
> out. They just add recesses or extra segmentation around the spot in
question
.

Good point which never occured to me!
 
> Exo-Skeletal (ES) - I get what you mean here even if I'd quibble about
the 
> name <;)>, but what I'm wondering is if there's a movement penalyty 
> associated. If the stuff is that rigid its more than likely to impair 
> movement too.

Mmmmm yeah I can see that.
 
> Chameleon stealth - why can't ES use this? Is it a balance issue? 
> Admittedly very few creatures with an exoskeleton do change colour
(they're 
> usually so hard they don't need to), but a few can manage it (at least
in 
> parts), by running a thin layer of living tissue over the top of their

> shells. Maybe the ES covered vehicles could have it until fired
upon... or 
> maybe it is just simpler for them not to have it at all.

Yeah I did this because of the balance. Ablative and Reactive and
Stealth.
There was a power playing issue here. So I made it a trade off.
 
> Fire controls - as for humans, "The exception is that Aliens equipped
with 
> basic fire controls or Green infantry units cannot opportunity fire".
Why? 
> I' not saying its a bad thing, just curious.

This was based around the concept of age. The aliens are born as tanks,
APC etc
.
So you could say that a tank with a basic fire control simply means it's
a baby
and has not yet developed the skills or awareness to use opportunity
fire.
 
> The Aliens have no understanding of ECM technology - now this one I'd 
> disagree with. You may want to stop them having whizz bang levels of
it, 
> but many animals contain electro-based organs that could be easily
modified 
> into spoofing sensors (a few have sorta done this, but the
evolutionary 
> pressure hasn't been there yet - ones that are invading space or are 
> genetically engineered as vehicles may have had teh extra push
though).

Again I can see this would be possible. I suppose at the point where I
was thin
king about
ECM's I was eager to provide a keen difference between conventional
forces and 
the aliens.
 
> Bio Elasticity - nice idea!

Yes well I got the idea from the blob. Very low profile for the blob :)
 
> Bio Womb - produce units? Do you mean infantry or small vehicles? OK
when I 
> got to the Queen mother bit it obviously covers vehicles too, but I'd 
> mention that under the Bio Womb bit directly too.

I'll re-do the Bio womb bit so it's clearer.
 
> Bio Repair Gland - nice idea, though you may like to add that they
prefer 
> to do it in cover... very few animals (that live to tell the tale
anyway) 
> are going to expose themselves to that level of threat in the open
where 
> they have no chance to hide.

Yes in practice very few players simply switch off and sit there while
repairin
g.
I should add a rule where it cannot be done if in direct line of sight
of the e
nemy.
But then if your mobility is shot you may not have the choice.
 
> Gatherer Pouch - I wouldn't give these a fixed capacity, or if you do
let 
> them be linked.... or you're not going to see many vehicles fixed.

I sort of invisaged the Gatherer reducing the vehicle down to the
biological ma
tter.
But maybe this is wrong. I should decide whether it simply drags the
damaged un
it away
or obsorbs it.

> Each army must have a Mother Alien with a Telepathic Control Centre -
I 
> would've called it some other means of communication (chemical or high

> pitched noise or something), but that's just me having trouble with 
> telepathy (says she that runs a Greys aliens with telepathy...bit 
> hypocritical sorry).

Well this was just a cop out on my behalf. I sort of strayed into the
cliche
alien communication bit there.
 
> The destruction of the Mother Alien reduces the morale of every unit
by 1 
> step and the unit quality 1 step - if she's that central to command
I'd say 
> they'd lose a LOT more than one level of confidence!!! I'd make it a
fairly 
> hefty penalty if you lose the old bird.

Harsh Beth. I thought my penalty was bad enough :)
 
> Swim: Base Movement Factor = 6 - this is OK, but I'd probably add
another 
> one (say BMF 10+) to reflect the speed capabilities of dedicated
"ocean goers
"

Hmmm I could have a dedicated water movement type. Sort of loch ness
monster
spitting plasma! (I like it)

> Legs: Easy = Roads; Normal = Open, Urban; Poor = Hills; Difficult =
Light 
> Scrub, Cultivated, Rivers/Streams (crossing only);
> Impassable = Rough, Mountains, Swamp, all Woods, Open Water
> 
> I think this is way too steep.... many things with legs have managed
to 
> conquer Rough, Mountains, Swamps and Woods ;)

This is the trouble with trying to do rules for biological constructs.
Maybe I need different categories of legs. My cat is a better climber
than
I am but we both have legs.........hmmm have to think about this one.
 
> Alien winged units cannot fly in 'High Mode'. - Why? Once again not
arguing 
> if there's a good rational, just curious.

Again I just restricted the aliens to add more of a feel of difference.
And I l
ike the idea
of swarms of bugs coming at the enemy while hugging the terrain.
 
> All up though it looks like you're well on the way, have you used them
on 
> the battlefield yet? I'll try and have a closer look at the costings
next 
> week, but well done!
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Beth

Play testing has mainly been alien systems or one or two units vs
conventiaon D
S2 stuff.
Not had many pitched battles using the range of alien stuff.
 
Thanks for your comments Beth. Given me some good points to think about.

----------------------
Jeremey Claridge
jeremy.claridge@kcl.ac.uk