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Cinematic vs. Vector movement

From: Jared Hilal <jlhilal@y...>
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 17:39:50 -0500
Subject: Cinematic vs. Vector movement

A Lurker steps to the podium...

Ahem

We play the cinematic rather than the vector rules, but I have been 
reading the discussion with interest.  I want to see if I understand the

problems with the vector system correctly:

1) multi-arc weapons are not useful because the ship's last movement 
order is always to Rotate Ship to a facing that will bring the desired 
target into the ship's engagement basket

2) Advanced drives are overpriced because their ability to direct Main 
Drive thrust in any direction relative to the facing of the ship is of 
less value than their abilities in the cinematic movement system

This results because (I suspect) each ship's turn goes something like
this:

Movement orders:
A) Rotate ship to bring Main Drive in position to accelerate
B) Main Drive burn
C) Rotate ship to bring weapons to bear on expected target position

Followed by weapons fire

So the actions of a ship over several turns look like this:

Rotate ship, MD burn, Rotate ship, Fire Weapons
Rotate, Burn, Rotate, Fire
Rotate, Burn, Rotate, Fire
Rotate, Burn, Rotate, Fire
rinse and repeat...

If you think about it, this would look pretty silly if viewed from afar,

nothing like what we expect.

And there is some discussion/thoughts/experiments about increasing the 
Thrust Point cost of the Rotate maneuver in order to lessen this
tendency.

Do I have this right so far?

If so, I offer an alternative suggestion:
Instead of increasing the cost of the rotate maneuver, limit each ship 
to one (1) Rotate per game turn.
This would (I think) have the following effects:

1) More careful consideration must be given as to when to turn away from

the enemy in order to burn the Main Drive, as the ship will not be able 
to reorient until next turn at the soonest (later if a long burn is
needed)

2) multi-arc weapons are now more useful as they allow the ship to keep 
the target in the (larger) engagement basket even while accelerating in 
another direction

3) Advanced drives are now more useful since the ship can essentially 
accelerate "sideways" if needed

This makes the massive numbers of turrets on the (for example) 
Earthforce Nova and Omega from B5 much more useful.  Same for the 
broadside batteries of Battlefleet Gothic and Honor Harrington style
ships.

J

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