Fwurg

[Brend]

I have spotted a problem with fleet combat: Fleet's have no Abilities, Attributes or Force Level, so they can't take DCA or Advantage Action checks.

These are extremely relevant to the combat system, so this should be remedied somehow. Ideas?

[Elmer]

Give the fleet some stats, or use the rings as stats. Maybe you can apply special manoeuvres as modifiers on your check?

[Mercury]

This does seem relevant! I agree using rings as abilities would make sense to me. I might also consider allowing fleets to acquire certain skills such as 'stealth' or 'asteroid field manoeuvring' with certain technologies. For most of these, I can think of one of the rings being used as base ability, for example Middle Ring Defence for asteroid field manoeuvring (to try and get asteroids between yourself and enemy fire) or Inner Ring Attack for a strike from stealth?

Opinions?

[Brend]

I concur that using the rings might be the best choice. I do not see a good mapping between action types and rings, though offensive and defensive seems clear enough. As a guideline outer ring for large sweeping positioning (hide behind moon and such), middle ring for navigational stuff, and inner ring for sneakery sounds good to me.

Having technologies that give you additional bonusses on specialistic uses is a nice touch. These can be cheaper than full-fledged fleet ugprades, as they offer less benefit and are more conditional.

I would like to hear from other players that want to get into fleets though.

[Dragonmaster352]

Might it be an idea that certain 'full-fledged' fleet upgrades give a bonus on a check?

[Brend]

Might it be an idea that certain 'full-fledged' fleet upgrades give a bonus on a check?

That is absolutely possible! The point I tried to make was that this allows a more fine-grained improvement.

[Elmer]

maybe we can add a 'minor upgrade' option to increase a situational modifiers on your check.

For example, you spend an appropriate amount of and products to increase your 'hide in asteroid belt' skill for example.

[Brend]

No. We shouldn't do that with a generic upgrade system. We should do it with technologies and fleet upgrades like we do manoeuvres. That offers more options, and fits better with the overal feel of upgrading.

[Dragonmaster352]

Is anyone still paying attention to this?

Because I'd like to integrate this into my fleet manoeuvre proposal.

It's been over a week since last posted here.

[Elmer]

The problem is that we have no yet made up a good way to take checks, other than using the combat rings and research to apply modifiers for checks.

[Brend]

@elmer: that's plenty good in my book.

Let's just go with using the rings as base checks. That allows a lot of leeway with technologies giving specific check bonuses while also allowing generic upgrades through the normal upgrade system (increasing a ring also increases the bonus).

I'll propose a more detailed solution soon, but go on what was discussed here for now.

[Brend]

This has been incorporated into the new Fleet Battle Actions rules; although with very little details.

I hope that the upcoming battles will show how useful this is.