 May 16, 2011 - 2:51pm | Well, I had a game the other day and neutered the enemy forces by accident. I was unsure about how far a normal person (dralasites and yazirians included) would be able to see in varying environments like forests and savannahs and walked close enough that the characters destroyed the forces far too easily. Maybe a table on average sight lines in varying environments? Secondly, I need thoughts on the relative strength of strike teams (this came up in the same game). Say the characters attack a convoy and the convoy gets out a distress call to a neighboring base. Should the strike teams be overwhelmingly larger than the party in order to push them onto the defensive, or merely large enough to give them second thoughts? My players are ridiculously trigger-happy and I'm tired of them blowing up my elaborately arranged ambushes, so I'd like to kick them down a notch without too serious consequences. (side note: they are irrationally afraid of flying vehicles, i.e. helicopters. Too many vid games?) Finally, I noticed (again, same game) that the vehicle damage tables only deal with vehicles in motion. Also, they seem to result, in anything greater than three rifle shots, to blow up incredibly easy. Maybe a tougher vehicle damage table? I know it's a lot to ask but I'm swamped with end of the year projects, otherwise I would do these myself and share the results. Thanks for the help! |
 May 16, 2011 - 4:29pm | "neutered the enemy forces by accident." Neutered? ...like you made them into eunics? |
 May 16, 2011 - 9:21pm | My initial thought to visibility distances in SF is that it is to the Horizons. After that it is all a light, fortification, and species determinate. Yazirians suffer in bright light (realistically even with goggles on, in combat situations), but have a natural low-light night-vision like cats, and see clearly like a noon day, when under a full moon. Humans tend to focus on nearest moving objects first, and have to train to capture whole vision or target specification, which is why even simple fortifications can break-up targeting and awareness. Vrusk have a 'near-360' field of visual awareness, and are not penalized for distance, when in an alerted state however they are more likely to focus on the nearest moving target than Humans. Dralasite vision is weirdest, being based on factors that are completely alien to Human experience, color and distance is secondary to shape and movement, so fortification barriers are unlikely to implied the focusing ability of a Dralasite taking notice or aim, however the Dralasite nerve-clusters are likely to be far more sensitive to luminosity-gradients, and allow both less shadow interference when tracking a target across the field of view, and a quicker drop off in vision with reduced ambient light. (this is just my take on it, there are others I am sure) Distance is probably around the average drop-off in terms of Human Vision to Horizon, in all the Core-Four species. These biological factors are likely only going to adjust Average Combat Ranges by a -33 to +33%. [combat training in specialized methods, environments, and intelligence, can gain a total advantage of a similar range of awarness.] Typical ranges: Long or sniper range (100-1000< meters) Tactical engagement range (10-500m) Close-encounters(5-15m) Close-quarters(>1-10m) none of this really translates into bonuses or penalties in combat mechanic, just tendencies of encounter distance, as per your request. The relative strength of strike teams? That's a very ify question, as Standard Force elements all depend on what a particular organization has deemed appropriate, and that can vary drastically... Special Op forces are even further case-by-case by the nature of their Special Necessity... However... I would think that a typical ambushing Ops Team (corporate, mercenary, or government), would be able to walk over the typical "party" of 3 to 6 characters, and be able to do so with equal numbers, baring specialized equipment being in the hands of PC's, that the Ops Team were unaware of (the first time they get a team wiped out). [investigation of a Spec Op Team being slaughtered, can be equivalent to a murder investigation, forensics will give plenty of data on the players, don't forget that military groups usually have access to intelligence gathering, beyond the scope of law-enforcement capabilities also, "This CZ is a mess! Lieutenant, give me a Satellite Time-Resolved Image Replay!", says Capt. Adame Vance Arbur, the Transteller Agro-Biome Co. Sec-Com, as he kicks a bit of some poor sergeants grey-matter from his polished shoe, "and bring me a fresh coffee, this may be a two-potter.", he adds to anyone within earshot absently.] This of course further depends on the organization and strategy, of the PC's background. A team of New Streel Merc's would have a Streel Security Commander to answer to, and special funding that levels that playing field again, but would then they would be required to 'play by Streel's Engagement Rules' or have compensation revoked, and possibly even acknowledgment of contract dismissed, leaving them to Star-Law or UPF:Space Fleet to deal with alone. STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE AND DECISION SIGHT DISTANCE Anyway, hope something was useful.  Kewl questions.Oh humans!!  We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
 May 16, 2011 - 6:26pm | As a former infantryman, I can say line of site entirely depends on the environment, including visual, audio, and vibrations. In the dark of night in a triple canopy jungle during a steady rain, you could walk within 5 feet of someone and neither would know the other was there unless one of them talked. Under normal daylight in North American forest with medium undergrowth, sight could be as much as three hundred meters or as little as 50. Noise and movement are the main factors. I once had an OpFor squad walk right through my squad as we took a break. We didn't even bother to get better cover, we simply froze and let our camoflage do its job. No matter where you are, big vehicles make big vibrations. Anyone who ever had an M1 MBT pass by will tell you he felt it before he heard it. My suggestion is to take walks around your neighborhood and local trails. Pay attention to your surroundings and get an appreciation for what you can see, hear, and feel and from what distance. Experience will serve you better than rules in this case. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong. * Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi |
May 16, 2011 - 7:25pm | @Georgie Total agreement there, well put. I was concentrating on the Visual part of line-of-sight, but throughout my thoughts I was thinking of all those other, extra senses, that are harder to describe to someone that isn't combat aware, or even someone who goes on a strong instinct. You have to get-to-and-do-it a few times, before you get-it, and it's still hard to quantify. Still gets me every time I see 'The Colony' Louisiana. I was chuckling the entire scene with 'Tick' walking through the compound, completely unnoticed until he was ready to be spotted, in that last 5 steps to the retreat path... Classic... Or the abduction scene, where she didn't even have time to take a 'five-foot-step' before she was down, bagged, and on a shoulder... text-book. Training, group cohesiveness, terrain familiarity... these things can't be overlooked as part of the 'line-of-sight' in an abstract either... all your senses and awareness becomes important, as does the ability to confuse the enemies. That is why I kept to a rather abstract response, rather than relying on the strict 'line-of-sight' rules some games have tried to implement. Oh humans!! We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
May 17, 2011 - 9:11am | For a simple mechanic assume sight depends on the brightness and size of an object and the curvature of the planet. Assume characters can see about 5km form the ground over a clear field. Distance & Size Table
*This table assumes unaided sight When characters ask to make an INT check to determine if they see/spot anything use the following table. Population Density Modifier Table
* Character can offset modifiers with aided gear such as IR goggles or magnigoggles. For instance, the party is crossing a open field, they see moderately dense foliage about 0.5km away and start heading in that direction. Thom wants to make an INT check to determine if there are enemies in the foliage, unaided he has a -30% to his INT check. Venes'a has a set of magigoggles, even though the foliage is moderately dense I would give her a +10% for the goggles (-20% to her INT check). |
May 17, 2011 - 9:20am | Secondly, I need thoughts on the relative strength of strike teams (this came up in the same game). Say the characters attack a convoy and the convoy gets out a distress call to a neighboring base. Should the strike teams be overwhelmingly larger than the party in order to push them onto the defensive, or merely large enough to give them second thoughts? In any sci-fi setting the strength of a party and the opposition is relative to the gear they have. A character with a skeinsuit and albedo screen is hard to beat (unless you have sonic weapons). Same goes for your strike teams. It is almost impossible to give you numbers... you'll have to wing it. Look at the characters gear and find something that can either defeat it or get around it. Perhaps have a robot or one of the strike team in an exoskeleton carrying a sonic devastator, fully screened. :-) Finally, I noticed (again, same game) that the vehicle damage tables only deal with vehicles in motion. Also, they seem to result, in anything greater than three rifle shots, to blow up incredibly easy. Maybe a tougher vehicle damage table? Check out my article in the Star Frontiersman Issue 15, Non-civilian Duty Vehicles. I give some options for vehicles which includes a new damage table. |
May 17, 2011 - 12:26pm | Abstract Refereeing by Imperial Lord - This article has a nifty table showing "turns to close", very useful when using abstracted movement rates. This is of course assumes both sides are attempting to engage in melee.
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May 17, 2011 - 1:23pm | Thanks so much, this is all very helpful. I'll definitely use that vehicle damage table, works much better than the Alpha Dawn version I have. My issue is that the characters "acquired" a heavy machine gun and a grenade launcher from a base and now simply destroy my precious vehicles. I am considering helicopter reinforcement (not necessarily Apache-level gunships, but still "exciting"...  ) and sniper and machine-gun nests around the current compound to be liberated, with thermal imaging cameras or snipers to detect intruders. Best of all, I can bleed off their loot by providing the opportunity to team up with the Capellan Free Merchants, who require some armaments to launch their counter assaults.  They need drugs anyway so they are kinda backed in between a rock and a hard place, if you know what I mean. |
 May 17, 2011 - 8:26pm | Game balance is always a very narrow line for GM's to stay on, especially when your gaming group is the yahoo shoot'em up sort. GM's don't want their PCs to just run around blowing up all their hard work easily, but at the same time it's not fair (though fun) to execute a group of arrogant PCs. Knowing the PCs stats, equipment, SEU totals, and ammo totals, a similar group of NPCs should at the very least slow them down a bit, yes? My SF website izz: http://ragnarr.webs.com |
May 17, 2011 - 9:04pm | If you find your time eating-up creating NPC's stat blocks consider using the "minor NPC rule".
A descriptor describes the minor NPC's job function or profession. The score represents their performance of the descriptor. It is used for any diced action requiring any of their ability scores or skill success rates that the Referee believes logically falls within the definition of the descriptor. Any other action the minor character attempts uses half that score. Here are some examples. Security Guard 55 (Carry's a blaster or stunner, hand-cuffs, badge and is good at shooting or intimidation. Has a decent chance to spot someone hiding in the shadows. However he is not skilled at computers or patching someone up.) Tech 45 (Wears overalls, has a tool bag, chews cud and fixes everything but computers and robots.) Space Pirate 60 (Says "Arrrr" a lot, smells, carry's melee weapons or an LPT. Might have a stunner to take prisoners or a tangler to immobilize victims before plundering their pockets.) Not all minor NPC's are enemies, if you allow characters to have followers, these simple stats make excellent minions.  Optionally download these minor NPC cards for Frontier Space (they work with SF as well). |
May 17, 2011 - 11:45pm | Assuming both sides intend to close to melee, is rather narrow tactical assumption... but a very useful chart for what it shows. @w00t Good stuff, I would consider inverting and adding those PD-Mods to any opposed check of the ambushing force, and roll their checks early as part of the pre-game setup... if possible. Just to speed it up and get an idea of what the unseen situation is before it all goes snafu.  Can I get a references to all those articles, so I don't have to dig for the names? couple you mentioned need a reread from me. @Captain Rags absolutely! Fairness needs to be adjusted on a sliding-curve-scale ... something some system designers, GM's, and Players, I have seen, never quite comprehend... good advice. Heavy machine guns and grenade launchers, to be used on that scale, are usually a lug-to-tote even split on multiple personnel each, and often requires two-man teams to set up quickly in combat situations... there are some smaller versions, but those usually have their own drawbacks, and are still slow to implement. Just carrying them improperly, could present a necessity to dump them quickly on a hasty retreat or extraction, or be too slow to clear the CZ, or make it to the extraction vehicle.  Not exactly the type of things I see the average player, with a character skilled in heavy weapons or artillery, considering before taking those skills, or grabbing the gear as if it was just more loot, though. So... some slack is appropriate for the unaware. Looks like you might have plenty to tool with now, so hope it all calms down for ya, and the story goes epic not septic. Never underestimate the situation advantage High-Skill with Low-Tech, can create over Low-Skill with High-Tech... there is always a way to emulate a solution nature has already proven to be simple, to counter any device that man has created to complicate the environment... or at least that's what my scout master said... before taking a week to disprove the validity of every $ ever spent on any gadget made in the last 200yrs Oh humans!! We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
May 18, 2011 - 8:14am | @w00t Can I get a references to all those articles, so I don't have to dig for the names? couple you mentioned need a reread from me. Click on Article Index Some of the material in my posts is new, perhaps I should craft and article.  Never underestimate the situation advantage High-Skill with Low-Tech, can create over Low-Skill with High-Tech... there is always a way to emulate a solution nature has already proven to be simple, to counter any device that man has created to complicate the environment... or at least that's what my scout master said... before taking a week to disprove the validity of every $ ever spent on any gadget made in the last 200yrs Well said. |
May 18, 2011 - 1:30pm | Yeah, they already established a two-man machine gun team and the grenade guy usually uses a laser rifle. The gun's for the big stuff. I'm thinking exoskeletons with skein suit and an albedo screen dropped from a jetcopter, personally. They haven't had much experience with screens or suits so, coupled with some well placed underslung smoke grenade launchers, the drop zone will get very epic indeed  I actually hope at least one person dies because the compound's got a freeze field in it (side note:those things are safe to put in a truck, right?) so they would end up making a bum rush through a war-torn city just when the fighting kicks up a notch in order to find a hospital. Artillery and tanks, here I come!  And yes, the story is going very epic. They already got chased off Dramune for murders they didn't commit (though they committed many murders... just not politically sensitive ones...) and onto Laco's World at the beginning of Laco's War  |
May 18, 2011 - 6:33pm | putting a freeze field in a truck? what? I think I wouldn't want to move one with someone I knew in it... power requirements and extra attached gadgets would seem appropriate, and at least to my understanding, be the reason they are placed in special rooms. Special mobile ones might be available, but again the bulk and weight of them would make running through corridors a chore, not quite like pushing a gurney out the door in a rush... some people have designed forklift sized medical-bots with stasis-fields, those might be self mobile, but still likely slow... and again, power requirements, would limit range, by a lot... the one bot I am thinking of had enough power to keep it's stasis going for around four hrs iirc, enough to get in pick up a body, and get back to a facility, it wasn't really intended to leave sight of the lander-ship it was on. ...my thoughts on it anyway. If they have to get to a facility quick because of that, then yeah, they didn't really evac far from the zone, so sure, send in more teams. @w00t thanks! Oh humans!! We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
May 18, 2011 - 9:54pm | @wOOt: Your NPC stat block notation is gonna save me time here with my campaign (thanks). What I was doing was creating a 'Greater NPC, Average NPC, and Lesser NPC' set of stats, designate each individual NPC's main proficiency, then place the NPCs wherever appropriate. Thinking I like your system better now. My SF website izz: http://ragnarr.webs.com |
May 19, 2011 - 1:30pm | @w00t: I personally have one-or two-letter abbreviations for the general stuff I know and use regularly, i.e. a human guard sergeant armed with an autorifle (2 clips) and above average dex and skill with the gun, giving him a 70% base has this notation: HgsAr2-70%. His bodyguard, a dralasite with a needle pistol and a frag but clumsy has DbNp1F1-40%. Just my own personal system; saves space when I need upwards of 40 guys in one sheet of paper, just add a number to the front to delineate more guys. Capital letters delineate new categories. @thespiritcoyote: Really? I was under the impression they were roughly coffin shaped and sized, maybe a little larger. And to solve the power problem I was thinking a small gas generator. Bullet resistance would be a problem but I would hope the PCs would think to plug their 2 screens in to cover the area (whatever the physical damage one is: blanking a bit here) and protect from bumps. PLEASE correct me if I am mistaken. |
May 19, 2011 - 1:45pm | DbNp1F1 is my right legs serial number. How disturbing!  |
May 19, 2011 - 2:11pm | How dare you use his bodyguard as a leg?!? I paid for top-quality bodyguards and they send me part-timers? They shall pay for their insolence. Summon the mooks! And I just thought of something. By their design, flitboards (remember: 2 fans, one forward and one back) look like they could do a bunny hop. Maybe by accelerating to top speed then increasing the lift in the front fan suddenly, popping the front up and letting aerodynamics take over. Maybe 6 ft up? And it definitely kill speed and be a dangerous maneuver (fail and it flips over  ) |
May 19, 2011 - 6:20pm | And I just thought of something. By their design, flitboards (remember: 2 fans, one forward and one back) look like they could do a bunny hop. Maybe by accelerating to top speed then increasing the lift in the front fan suddenly, popping the front up and letting aerodynamics take over. Maybe 6 ft up? And it definitely kill speed and be a dangerous maneuver (fail and it flips over )Discussion of my leg to flitboards... Wanna ride bikes? I think the flit board by its nature can do that; Note to wikia maintainers, would be nice to cite the reference. |
May 19, 2011 - 8:00pm | You guys are a trip! I guess if I were writing notation for my eyes only for an adventure I'm intending to run, then Belaris' notation would make sense to use, because it'd only make sense to me and in no possible way ever to anyone else. Now if I were writing an adventure that'd be posted and shared with other GM's, I'd go with wOOt's nOtatiOn. My SF website izz: http://ragnarr.webs.com |
May 20, 2011 - 6:10am | So let it be written. So let is no n0ted! :-) |
May 20, 2011 - 10:01pm | :-) Hmm, methinks I shOuld verily and hence respOnd tO any Of wOOt's pOstings using this stylish wOOtese script! (insert maniacal laugh here) Another stickler for me when running SF ground battles is how to efficiently keep track of NPC's SEU usage or ammo spent. If it's just a couple of NPCs that the PCs are engaging, it's not a problem. But when I get into say 10 or more NPCs in a single engagement with the PCs, I'm eating aspirin like they were tic tacs. My SF website izz: http://ragnarr.webs.com |
May 21, 2011 - 12:48am | Inner-volume would be about coffin sized, but outer volume is dependent on whether it is meant for long-term storage, or quick evac, I think... I have seen only a few examples of portable units in Star Frontiers, the bulk and weight would be much more than a coffin even at close to gurney size, I'd imagine. Which is likely why I have seen several emergency bots with them as part of their design. For something about the size and portability of a coffin (6-8 pallbearers, I have done it once with four, not fun.. unless it is on a sturdy-gurney-cart then two or three people can manage it.) I would still think it a bit heavier and bulkier, or reduced to under 4hrs of power with very minimal medical-scanners tied in. Damage, might not be too bad actually, a standard coffin can take a beating, a real sturdy one might take a point-blank shot-gun a couple hits to make a nice hole. If it is an emergency evac stasis coffin, I would think it capable of taking a few hits, but extra screens to be sure is a good idea, though not likely standard. Either on a sturdy-cart about four foot high total and requiring one to push and two in front to steer, or on a mini-forklift emergency bot powered by it's own motivation, at power-walk for top speeds, and between 1 to 4 hrs of operation time, with the bot capable of shutting down to minimal support, and adding a 1-4hr extension but requiring 4 or more people to push and steer it. A basic coffin with no frills for up to 90minutes, with minimal life scanning for up to 60min, or about 15-30min with a field medic assisted life-saver package and full bio-readout, a deluxe model... and 2 to 4 to carry to the transport vehicle at reasonable (power-walk) speeds. Remember even for a coffin, a lot of the problem still is not weight it is bulk, and bulk can be a lot more crippling than weight, and if someone miss-steps or falls out of step-sequence when moving such a large box the whole team risks loosing the cargo, or going down with it. Trying to hustle through an escape route in close-quarters, then starts to become the stuff of slap-stick comedy, but under-fire there is only time to panic or get frustrated, no-time to laugh... I know, I am being reality harsh, and that could be adjusted for game dramatics, but it all seems pretty dramatic to me when taken realistically... drama with a capitol T spells Military Sci-fi... or maybe Rocketpunk... T-r-a-u-m-a... a harsh reality of emergency combat evacuation and Strategic Relocation for an Engagement Absence Contingency (don't run away... STREAK-back!) If that isn't what you are going for (it sounded like you were), kewl, I can adjust to another genre  for a different assessment, but those general bulk, size, weight, and power times, of various portable stasis units, sounds about right to me for a 111fy Star Frontiers setting... in very rough (probably lenient on power times) guideline.Oh humans!! We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
May 21, 2011 - 12:20pm | Makes sense to me. I was just a little worried about the whole special-room thing... an emergency unit would work fine. That's part of why I would require it to be in the logging company's log truck (that and that's the only transport they've got) but even so I get the feeling they will pass this scenario with flying colors as well  I overheard them discussing ways to take the compound using what limited intel they got from a guerrilla sniper's interrogation file. Their plans are almost spot-on too. They were counting on jungle cover up to 50m away though, and recently the flamethrower has been rather busy. Say, 200m? but their sniper will kill everyone anyways. |
May 21, 2011 - 8:43pm | so, unless the dice go bad, or some miscalculation is not compensated for in tactical time... it won't likely snafu and require a hot evac anyway? well, can't say I don't like the way that sounds... unless I was defending... ugh, my head is trying to play chess with itself now... damn, hate it when that happens...  Logging Camp? maybe there is one in the First Aid hutch, near the parking grounds? Should be simpler to set up cover-fire positions and a reatreating over-watch, while a couple-few go hauling it to the truck over the open tarmac... (hope they take out the sniper first)... as you say, if it even becomes a necessary item. Oh humans!! We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
 May 22, 2011 - 1:42pm | On the freeze field, it might help to read the rules. The equipment guide list is as costing 1,200 cr and weighing 4 kg. The description says: Each freeze field device contains 20 SEU. The field uses 1 SEU every 10 hours. Another power source can be attached if the power runs low, but if it ever runs out the body can not be revived. A character loses one point from one of his ability scores for each full 10 hours he spends in a freeze field. The player can subtact these points from any ability or abilities he chooses. A freeze field device can be resued , but it must be recharged and re-tuned at a hospital or shop, at a cost of 100cr. Something that only weighs 4 kg isn't going to be that big. I always assumed it was something like the defensive screens, a box that you placed on the chest of the body and then activated that created a field around the person. Ad Astra Per Ardua! My blog - Expanding Frontier Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine |
 May 22, 2011 - 3:26pm | :-) Hmm, methinks I shOuld verily and hence respOnd tO any Of wOOt's pOstings using this stylish wOOtese script! (insert maniacal laugh here) Another stickler for me when running SF ground battles is how to efficiently keep track of NPC's SEU usage or ammo spent. If it's just a couple of NPCs that the PCs are engaging, it's not a problem. But when I get into say 10 or more NPCs in a single engagement with the PCs, I'm eating aspirin like they were tic tacs. suggestion: In one set of steam punk rules I read, you didn't keep track of ammo, but rather just blasted away like in a Hollywood movie. However, if a certain event occured with the dice like a critical failure or something then the character was out of ammo. The point being that for that game they wanted fast and furious cinematic action and didn't want to bother with record keeping. If its a big battle with significant numbers of NPCs to track then dont track the minutia any roll of 96-00 as well as any roll of doubles that also miss. If this happens then the weapon jammed, broke or ran out of ammo. When the PCs go to loot simply roll a d20 for how much SEU is left in a clip, 2 or 3d10 for a power belt and 3 or 5d10 for a backpack. You could also precalculate the ammount of STA a particular defence will take: If its an Albedo shield simply say it will intercept 100, 200, 300 or 400 points before burning out then you have no calculations to make but rather simply deduction of damage. Best to just assume that NPCs can manage their own power and ammo supplies and ignore if particularly in a big encounter. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
May 22, 2011 - 10:28pm | Yeah, the 8lb model seems a bit too much for me to take as a full version... I like the Stasis Coffin with medical scanners, and some built in protection, over a 9lb black-chest-box with no medical readout, built in armor value, or appropriately sizeable power consumption [imo]. I feel it ends up a bit cheesed, because technically it's a stasis field and that means some inertia dampening and anti-gravity effects, and other star-warsy-trekish side-effects, when you start piling on the the theoretical science. If that is what you prefer, you could do that too, it is technically in the AD canon. I don't find Zeb's the only source of potentially problematic tech. The 8hr stasis field in a man-portable box, seems to be a device that is worthy of being used with design-flaws of life-threatening faulty hic-ups. It's an emergency rescue device, sure, but environmental conditions make power-time unpredictable (like house-hold batteries, sometimes leak energy under temperature and pressure changes), and the manufacturers won't tell you this but it doesn't take to being jostled or damaged well, and rumors of stasis-flicker causing severe medical problems have been unsubstantiated by well paid medical technicians. Use the 4kg black box at your own risk, your mileage may vary. This is how I would use it in a Military, Hard Sci-Fi, or Punk style, in a looser Soft Sci-Fi or Space-Opera style, I might worry those details less, but still offer the coffin-style and emergency medical robots, as alternatives. Now a 1-4hr version of that box (using 5, 10, or 20SEU/hr; and around +/- 33% the same cost) , I might be much more lenient with, but it still has no 'panic-box' protection that a coffin offers, and is still open to being targeted by a sniper, or stray round, and further doesn't really brace broken bones or stabalize other major structural damage for transportation, like a coffin can. Seemed to me the query was about the med-bay/ship-passenger coffin style, and thinking of some way to get one out of a specialized room, as it was apparently one to be found at the semi-permanent location being attacked. So, I was basing my suggestions on the various fan-canon alternatives I have seen. @jedion357 I like Cinematic Rules like those, they can be used well for a highly-story-telling, or TOFS Space-Opera, style game. @Belaris I may have assumed from the initial post a Hard-Sci-fi Military bent to the requested information. Is there any adjustment to the realism levels involved? Oh humans!! We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
May 23, 2011 - 7:20am | Thanks jedion; you've saved me time while preventing me from becoming an aspirin junky. My SF website izz: http://ragnarr.webs.com |
May 23, 2011 - 2:34pm | @thespiritcoyote: Nope, pretty Hard Sci-fi game here. I do appreciate all of the feed back on the freeze field because that always bugged me. @jedion: This system sounds pretty good, though I personally haven't really had to deal with such a situation yet. My players tend to separate out my guys as best they can (6 of them so maybe 10 on 6 is optimum for them?) and often get the drop on them. I usually get maybe get one round of firing in and that's with half the normal force. Reinforcements run in but get mown down by the HMG and concentrated autorifle fire because the players have a system in place for focusing on the high value targets. The leftovers are mauled by a Dral tank with 70 strength and a skein suit (now a lot worse for wear, gotta watch those autopistols! ), a shotgun, and loads of luck. And a machete. It's like Hotel Rwanda but with aliens.Ready for another question? Exoskeletons. According to Alpha Dawn, they weigh 5 kg and allow 2x max speed and 5m jump as well as +20 to hit in melee and +10 damage. Part of my problem is the lack of external power sources. Regenerative braking can only do so much. Also, I think it should allow some other benefits but with some more drawbacks. First, allow some slight modifier up for ranged combat for increased recoil resistance and an ability to use heavier weaponry like a rifle (i.e. HMGs) because of the strength. This would have a negative modifier to hit and reloading would be a pain (not sure of penalties) but my players would jump at the chance. Now for the negatives: increased weight, definitely. maybe 20-30 kgs? I know the US military has a prototype exo but I don't know how much it weighs. It looks pretty bulky. Also, because I allow for aimed shots ( -30 to 40 for something like the head) there would be the definite chance a good (or lucky) shot would hit some part of it and damage it. Say a limb got hit and that part of the exo got hit, now the PC's got a chunk of metal attached to his arm instead of super tech. -x amount on dex rolls and movement (leg) as required, cumulative. Of course, the ability to use the heavy rifle option would end with the first limb down but an inertia screen would prevent damage to it. Whew, that was a lot. Back to the english paper |
