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Post by madmorgan on Feb 8, 2019 16:20:50 GMT
I've already commented above, but easye got me on a few more thoughts. Not to blow my own horn, but, I'd like to see two BP systems presented - the original one and my % one. The way I work it, points are multiplied by a % based on the army, thus giving more balance to the game. Martians are always based at 50%, so a 1500 point army would break at 750 points lost. This allows human forces to be given a range of morale based on their composition - regular troops at 50%, elite troops at 60%, militia at 40%, etc. A 1500 point elite army at 60% would require 900 points to break - a 1500 point green militia would only need 400 points to break. I'd also like to see more importance given to command posts. Just a general +1 for morale rolls to units with a given radius of a CP would do, as most battles we have take place at the company level. In any given battle, the human player should be given the option to designate a CP, when there isn't an apparent on the table (ei. infantry command stand, command tank, etc). That way a player who hasn't gotten one of those wonderful figures (and why wouldn't you get one, I love the command tank & BR command carrier) can still have at least the basics. Btw, a Goliath or a LIC automatically count as the CP for a battle. If you have more than one (!), you'd have to designate which is your CP. It's exciting to think of new rule books and scenarios and I eagerly look forward to the upcoming releases by our friends at TTG.
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Post by scottwashburn on Feb 8, 2019 16:27:19 GMT
I like your percentage idea, Morgan.
And perhaps armies don't automatically break once they reach their percentage point. Perhaps once they reach it, there is a roll made at the start of each turn. The roll could be modified by how many headquarters units are left and what losses were taken in the previous turn. Fail and they break.
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 8, 2019 16:32:13 GMT
I thought of that as well. It would probably be best as an optional rule - just to keep things simple.
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Post by hardlec on Feb 11, 2019 23:54:25 GMT
I like the percentage idea as well. For one thing, Prey creatures can get downright stubborn when defending their homes, while a scouting mission is more likely to have the prey leave while they are alive.
Martians will be much more tenacious when we must rescue a being as opposed to a machine.
Different missions have different priorities.
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Post by boxholder on Feb 12, 2019 12:57:04 GMT
Bear in mind that keeping track of which units are subject to which dice rolls for various factors adds time and/or the need for markers or records to track status. Extra dice rolls and record keeping always take time.
As an option - OK. As a mainline change - Meh.
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Post by hardlec on Feb 12, 2019 21:17:43 GMT
I'm pretty sure that "Martians have a 50% break point while humans have a 75% break point is simple enough.
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 14, 2019 12:49:49 GMT
Like I said boxholder - as an optional rule.
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Post by enakan on Mar 15, 2019 21:18:36 GMT
Since I have not played a game yet, I don't think I'm qualified to say much about changes to an upcoming edition. I may stick with 1st Edition since I have that coming. And paint what I get. REALLY!!!! I promise!!! GW was mentioned though, I lived through 30 years of that addiction. I strongly advise against making new units/models/etc that will be obsolete and not used in 3-4 years, just to sell models. I did not participate in the KS, and now in what, five years, there is now a third owner of this game system? I hope they keep it alive this time around. I like the mention of expanding the human world armies. For improving Martian equipment, how long would that actually take? Would not the new weapons have to come from Mars, after combat after action reviews finally get back to their engineers? I would think it would take much longer for Martians to get new "toys" than the Prey... Feel free to educate me reference your experiences!
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Post by madmorgan on Mar 16, 2019 0:34:08 GMT
fyi, see my extensive collection of 'new' armies and battles with them in my TO&E and OOB threads this forum There's enough stuff there to easily keep interest till Ed.2 Note that I also have some 1/72 (22mm) Airfix and the like human armies - they don't look wrong against the tanks and do note that Blue Moon line for WW1 from Old Glory. Scott Washburn has done a wonderful job with some air power and river units - and if you want to go into a deeper look see my Seapower and Airpower threads (yes there are Zeps too). This is a great forum, with loads of talented people with ideas I think you'll find weeks of gaming ideas to try.
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Post by boxholder on Mar 16, 2019 12:26:45 GMT
enakan: Good questions that are not explicitly answered.
Because the Martian engineers/makers make what they need using local Earth resources, they don't have to get things shipped from Mars. All of the rocky inner planets are believed to have formed from the same mix of interstellar material, so all have the same elements available. The only thing they need is the design.' Design info could be carried along or communicated telepathically.
This flows from the necessary inference that the Martians are telepathic. Otherwise, how could "word" of what happened to the first invasion (germs) gotten to back Mars and permitted their medical personnel to work on vaccination or cures. IF it works one way, it should work the other. There is no indication of radio comms or similar. Telepathich link obviates the need for physical transport of weapons.
It does leave another question: Why don't the Martians do better coordinating combat operations in the books? But don't worry about that. The god-like overview of the game battlefield gives them that advantage.
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Post by enakan on Mar 17, 2019 10:33:40 GMT
Boxholder, I was hoping you'd say something about their telepathy! There go my psychic transmissions again! The only thing interrupting the messages bearing the new info would of course be casualties, maybe not all the information would get through if one link was broken. But enough should survive, from reading Martians seem to be very good about breaking off actions if they do start losing, I don't see too many "wiped out" battle reports on here. For battlefield coordination, even with telepathy, they must have some alien emotion(s) which sometimes get in the way of tactically deploying or fighting most effectively. Status maybe? Different factions or clans sabotaging each other, not badly though since that would go against the common good. I have lost count, trying to catch up on all the miniatures that have been published/released for game play. How many types of Tripods are there? I like the idea of snapping new heads/arms/weapons on, I have a ton of small magnets just dying to be used that way. Going to have to do more reading, get a couple of Scott's books off Amazon too, for more background on the game. He does a great job with conversions and terrain, as do many other game players out here. Between here, TMP and much searching I've found quite a bit on the game. Back to "Hopes" for 2nd Edition. I'd just like a smooth flow between editions, that would help folks who've played the original jump right back into the new edition. For new folks, not too many complications to absorb. I guess I'm in a good place now, being able to read/play 1st edition, with Second to come out down the road. Can you handle some "to the point" feedback?
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Post by boxholder on Mar 17, 2019 12:34:20 GMT
I was pretty strongly resistant to telepathy for the Martians, but from the readings there appear to be three levels of communications: Short range tactical Global Interplanetary
Short range tactical may be the result of confusion and immediate danger in tactical combat focusing the attention on local matters. No time for big thoughts when people are shooting at you! Global range would be between clan leaders, but not directly involved in combat. They have some slack mentally to do the comms and need to coordinate larger actions. The interplanetary with Mars I would envision as a "seance" type group effort. It would be conducted in quiet, soothing surroundings, permitting group psych effort. to reach similar groups on Mars.
As always my US $0.02
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Post by enakan on Mar 17, 2019 13:08:14 GMT
Makes perfect sense the way you explain it. From lurking/reading, I see there are several different ways to move troops besides that in the original rules? What are most folks using now? Sorry, I may be hijacking this thread. Or not, if it will be implemented in 2nd!
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Post by madmorgan on Mar 18, 2019 10:16:19 GMT
Note that at one time I suggested a mental attack/defense human group based on Casey and other 'mentalist' of the time. Sure real world its not solid - but, we're playing a game with Martians here, so s PsyCorps (love Bester/Bab 5) would be a way of interfering with at least tactical level Martian 'comms'. More food for thought (sic).
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Post by boxholder on Mar 18, 2019 12:23:19 GMT
I am reluctant to add trans-species mental/psych attack. They are just too different. When we start down that road, we are headed for the GamesWorkshop psychers and all that goes with that.
I can swallow tactical psych between Martians because, as a player I have a god-like overhead view ot the tactical situation. That could only be done with some kind of comm linkage which permts coordinated action. Same goes for both prey creatures and Martians. The prey creatures can have radio, telephone, telegraph, signal flags and such. The Martians clearly have and need something more than the acoustics to communicate and coordinate their actiions. Absent any reference to radio linkage, psych/mental is all that is left.
The other grades of psych (global and interplanetary) are not relevant to the tactical game scale of the battles.
US $0.02
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