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    Zebulon Sunset: Combat Rules WIP

    Version: 4.0
    Project: Joe's Half-Baked Ideas
    File Name: 4.0 Combat Rules Revised.pdf
    File Size: 7.03 MB
    File Type: application/pdf
    Updated: March 26, 2017 - 6:42pm
    Submitted: JCab747
    Description:
    The attached document is based on the Alpha Dawn combat system -- NO COLUMN SHIFTS and NO COLOR CODES.

    I am trying to incorporate some of the good things in Zebulon's Guide -- yes, there are some clarifications on the rules in that book. Along with the combat rules from various stories in Dragon, Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer.

    This is very much a work in progress at this point. The table of contents is for filler and doesn't reflect what's actually listed later in the document. I'm still working providing some missile rules, etc.

    However, I am far enough along on it that I wanted to post it for any initial feedback. I had copied and pasted the Alpha Dawn remastered text into a Word document to start off and then started adding Zebs stuff where appropriate.

    Slight update done on Feb. 24, 2017. I want to reexamine how I came up with the indrect fire ranges for the cannons and howitzer versus the direct fire ranges. Rules need to be added to account for the sniper rifles found in Star Frontiersman magazine.

    Where I am mathematically challenged is adding some sort of quick and dirty rules mechanic to account for the effects of gravity on tossed weapons and bombs... I suppose gravity should impact all projectile/gyrojet weapons but I don't want to get too complicated on things.

    I still need to check Zebulon's guide for any useful rules clarifications for melee and vehicle combat. Then there are the Polyhedron stories to research.
    Comments:

    JCab747's picture
    JCab747
    February 27, 2017 - 12:43pm
    Version 2.5 of these rules is a bit more refined now, especially after I tried to clarify some of the area attack weapons (missiles, artillery, and bombs).

    The Table of Contents section is still a place holder, though I've begun adding the different section headings (but not the corresponding page numbers).

    What's still needed is some work on how to use artillery in an anti-aircraft mode and looking at the melee combat system and see what optional rules can be included from Zebs, Dragon, Star Frontiersman, Frontier Explorer and other sources.

    Then there is the vehicle combat section to look at to integrate the "Tanks a Lot!" and rules from other such stories.

    I do not have access to the "Ground Hawks" or "Delta Dawn" rules that I note were once posted on the starfrontiers.us website.

    So, if anyone has any suggestions -- pointing out typos, the need for further rules clarifications, or even an easier game mechanic than what is presented -- please let me know.
    Joe Cabadas

    JCab747's picture
    JCab747
    March 7, 2017 - 8:22am
    The latest version is 3.5.

    Again, the table of contents (TOC) is simply filler until a finalized version is made.

    I still want to come up with some generic animal reaction tables for the referee and am open to suggestions.

    I've started tackling the powered armor section, though that one is going to take a bit of thought. Dragon magazine's January 1988 issue did offer some rather complicated powered armor rules, which don't necessarily translate well with the fan-created versions that I like from Star Frontiersman magazine. The Dragon version gives some rules to build a suit, similar to how you can customize robots, so it has some possibilities there.

    I've been working on formating the boat rules, again, this comes from Dragon but there was a reprint in Star Frontiersman.

    Then I should tack on the underwater character combat rules (Dragon with a SFman reprint), along with the Knight Hawks spacesuit combat rules.




    Joe Cabadas

    JCab747's picture
    JCab747
    March 20, 2017 - 9:54am
    Version 3.8 presents what I think is a useable, unified version for handling powered armor combat (though I didn't tackle the queston of how to build powered armor.

    The story by David Dennis in the January 1988 issue of Dragon magazine gives some ideas for calculating costs, though I didn't like the "points system" that limits all powered armors to a certain range. That doesn't happen with robots and vehicles, at least not to the same degree.

    I've incorporated Chris Donovan's bionics rules under Section VII. Character Healing and Damage. I want to try to rectify the prices he has with those that were previously published in issues 14 and 15 of Star Frontiersman magazine.

    The underwater rules section is being supplemented with information from Star Frontersman #25, the Balneum Blue module.

    This version is a bit too large to post as a Word document, so I had to make it into a PDF.
    Joe Cabadas