 March 1, 2017 - 8:09pm | Note to TerlObar: I had posted an earlier question and found some of the information I was looking for in Star Frontiersman issue 23. Since I couldn't figure out how to take this discussion down, I flagged it as "offensive" so it could be removed. But now I have a new purpose for this posting. I am working on a comprehensive set of Alpha Dawn combat rules here: http://starfrontiers.us/node/9676 and would certainl welcome any feedback. The idea is not to replace the game rules (I like them), but to incorporate the various other additional rules that were given in various magazines such as Dragon, Star Frontiersman, Frontier Explorer, etc. so it would be one comprehensive tool. This combat booklet also includes missiles -- a conversion from Zebs. Star Frontiersman issue 23 reran a Dragon magazine article called "A Shot in the Arm," which provided some special effects damage, and I know that there were other stories on ablative damage for PC characters. I'm trying to work on a more generic chart for damage to robots and animals so I will try posting some ideas here for feedback. Also, has anyone ever come up with some generic animal encounter tables? Something that might indicate when an animal might attack versus ignoring or fleeing from characters? Joe Cabadas |
 March 1, 2017 - 11:19pm | No title and no content in the post...looks like we have a bit of a bug here. |
March 2, 2017 - 7:03am | No title and no content in the post...looks like we have a bit of a bug here.
The "bug" was my deletion of the original post -- I couldn't figure out how to remove it entirely. However, I've repurposed my questions. Joe Cabadas |
March 2, 2017 - 7:07am | The "A Shot in the Arm" story gives a system for special damage to robots, which would include extra stamina points lost, "units of equipment damaged," etc. I want something more akin to how vehicles can get damaged. I like the parts of the chart that give the following effects: Explanation of Robot Damage Body damage. -5 to hit with weapons because of internal damage. Leg damage. -5 meters/turn on movement (unless robot has alternate movement system, such as rocket movement. Arm damage. Attacker can choose attacked arm or tentacle, -9 to hit with any weapon held in that arm. Arm joint damage. -14 to hit with a weapon in that arm, -2 damage for melee attacks. Arm joints damage. No weapons may be fired from that arm, no melee attacks. Brain casing damage. 50% chance of robot being stunned for d100 minutes (even if A-S implant is installed), -5 to hit with all weapons, 20% chance of a malfunction. All robots have brains, but a non-cybernetic robot’s brain is a computer. Leg broken. -10 meters/turn on movement, -5 meters/turn to movement using alternate movement system because it also has been hit. Body cracked. -10 to hit with all weapons, -5 meters/turn on movement, 20% chance of a malfunction. Arm broken. No weapon can be fired from the arm, -5% to chances to repair it. Arm joint broken. Same as arm broken, but a -25% to chances to repair it. Brain casing cracked. Stunned for dl00 +20 minutes, 50% chance of being deactivated, -10 to hit with all weapons, 35% chance of a malfunction, -30% to chances to repair it. Movement center damaged. Robot cannot move, -30% to chances to repair it. Arm joints broken No weapons can be fired from the arm, -20% to chances to repair it. Body and brain casing cracked. The same effects as body cracked and brain casing cracked combined. All damage and penalties are cumulative. Brain casing broken. Automatically deactivated, -20 to hit with all weapons, -20 meters/turn on movement, 55% chance of malfunction, -50% to chances to repair. Explosion. Everyone within 10 meters takes 7d10 damage (Reaction Speed check defense).
Joe Cabadas |
March 4, 2017 - 11:49am | I just want to figure out a chart, like a vehicle damage chart, and not use the extra stamina/units of equipment lost section. Oh, I guess I should post the damage table from the "Shot in the Arm" article too.
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March 2, 2017 - 7:12am | So, basically, column 1 would be the place to roll for a damage result. Columns 2 and 4 would be eliminated. As for the explosion result, perhaps that should be modified based upon what kind of battery source a robot is using. A tiny robot operating on a 20 SEU powerclip would not explode like a warbot would, for example. Joe Cabadas |
March 2, 2017 - 9:05pm | Hmm, I decided to look closer at the vehicle damage mechanic and I think I can convert it for use with remote weapons systems, such as the sentry gun from Star Frontiersman Magazine #5. The Alpha Dawn rules just had a brief blurb about them in the combat section, though the players need to face such a weapon in "Bugs in the System." Here's what I've got. Remote Weapons Systems Besides the possibility of combating other characters, animals and robots, another hazard on the Frontier are remote weapon systems (RWS). These devices are usually controlled by computers using Robot Management programs. The module “Bugs in the System” offered one such automated weapons turret that the characters needed to overcome. It ws equipped with two laser rifles and a grenade launcher and had 120 structure points. Another example of a remote weapons system is the Sentry Gun, an automated heavy-weapons platform that is often used for perimeter defense.[1] Once the unit is placed into position, it may be specifically set to monitor targets in infrared or optical, depending on the profile of the target. In particular, targets with thermal or visual profiles, respectively. To prevent the possibility of casualties by means of “friendly fire,” Sentry Gun’s control unit can be equipped to identify specific Identification – Friend or Foe (IFF) transponders. When a target enters its sensor range, the Sentry Gun will trigger IFF detection, through a coded, radio signal. If the Sentry Gun’s reads are positive, the target will be free to pass; otherwise, the weapon will open fire. Chance to Hit. An automated remote gun have a basic chance to hit of 30%, plus 10 x the program's level. Initiative Modifier. A remote weapon system’s IM is its level plus three. Used by an Operator. A character can also operate a remote weapon system using a computer interface. Generally the base chance to hit is 30% plus 10% for each computer level (or the Security Systems: Activate and Operate subskill). Features: All RWS systems require a power source, a computer link or a control module, and ammunition for its gun. Damaging and Destroying a Remote Weapons System Assume a remote weapons system, such as the sentry gun, has 5 structure points for every kilogram it weighs. They can be mounted with power screens, one coat of spray armor, or skeinsuit-like armored plates. Whenever a RWS is hit by gunfire, an exploding grenade or a a demolition charge, the attacking character must roll 2d10 on the Remote Weapons System Damage Table. The number of dice of damage caused by the attack is added to the result. This number is modified by the type of RWS. A separate roll is made for each successful attack.
Explanation of RWS Damage No Effect. No extra damage was done to the remote weapon system. Turret mechanism damaged. The RWS receives a -1 point penalty on its initiative rolls while its attack number is reduced by -10%. This effect is cumulative. If the gun’s IM or to-hit number is reduced to zero then it cannot fire until repaired. Sensor damage. The weapon system’s sensors have been damaged and its attack number is reduced by -10%. This effect is cumulative. If the gun’s to-hit number is reduced to zero then it cannot fire until repaired. Ammunition Reloader Damaged/Power Cord Struck. It the gun turret has an energy weapon, then a power cord was severed. If it relies on ammunition, such as a machine gun, then the reloading mechanism was damaged. It cannot fire. If a RWS has more than one weapon, one of its systems was knocked out of commission. This effect is cumulative. Once all ammo reloaders or power cords are damaged, the unit will not work until repaired. Controller Casing Cracked. Damage has occurred to the control system. The RWS now has a -20$ penalty and its Initiative Modifier is reduced by 2 points. This effect is cumulative. If the gun’s IM or to-hit number is reduced to zero then it cannot fire until repaired. Controller Casing Broken, Gun Disabled. The casing to the control unit has been breached and the circuitry was heavily damaged. The gun system will no longer work until it receives a major repair, including replacement parts, which may or may not be available. Explosion. The ammunition magazine was hit, setting off the rounds or the power battery was hit, causing an explosion which will have a blast similar to a fragmentation grenade. If the ammo magazine was empty and/or the unit does not have an internal battery, the hit has complete wrecked the RWS where it is no longer repairable. [1] Jackson, Madin. “Sentry Guns,” Star Frontiersman Magazine, issue 5, pp. 17-18. Joe Cabadas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 2, 2017 - 9:06pm | I think I can use the similar mechanic for the robot damage chart. That way, it's definitely Alpha Dawn based. Joe Cabadas |
March 2, 2017 - 11:06pm |
Robot Combat As with vehicles and characters, there is a limit to the number of weapons that a robot can handle. Most robots (except the “tin can” style) that have a pair of standard or anthropomorphic limbs can pick up and use normal weapons without penalty. These weapons include grenades, man-portable heavy weapons such as the Ke-5000 (the Alpha Dawn heavy laser) and Ke-6000 (the Zebulon version of the heavy laser that causes slightly more damage per SEU used), a Rafflur M-10, a recoilless rifle, a machine gun, etc. They do get a penalty for firing two weapons. Chance to Hit. As per the Alpha Dawn rules, a robot’s basic chance to hit is 30 percent plus 10 times the robot’s level (30% + RL x 10). This is the number used in both ranged and melee combat. Initiative Modifier. A robot’s initiative modifier (IM) is its level plus three (IM = RL + 3). Other modifiers apply as usual. Robot Melee Attacks. A robot gets one melee attack for every pair of limbs it has. When the robot attacks without a weapon, standard and anthropomorphic limbs cause 2d10 points of damage; heavy-duty limbs cause 6d10 points of damage. If the robot uses a melee weapon, it causes whatever damage is normal. Robot Ranged Attacks. A robot using a ranged weapon is treated exactly like a character and is subject to all the ranged combat modifiers. However, a robot cannot attack unless it has a restrain, self-defense or attack/defense program. Computer Controlled Robots. A computer using a Robot Management program can remotely control the robot’s weapon systems. It will have a base chance to hit of 30 percent plus 10 times the program’s level (30% + 10 x Prog Level). The initiative modifier is the computer’s level plus three.
Optional: Damaging a Robot
Whenever a robot is hit by gunfire, an exploding grenade or demolition charge, the attacking character must roll 2d10 on the Robot Damage Table. The number of dice of damage caused by the attack is added to the result. This number is modified by the type of robot.
A separate roll is made for each successful attack
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March 2, 2017 - 9:48pm |
Optional: Damage Effects to Robots[1] Explanation of Robot Damage No Effect. No extra damage was done to the robot. Body damage. The robot has a -5% penalt to hit with weapons due to internal damage. Leg damage. -5 meters/turn on movement (unless robot has alternate movement system, such as rocket movement.) Arm damage. Attacker can choose the damaged arm or tentacle; the robot has -9% penalty to hit with any weapon held in that arm. Arm joint damage. Attacker can choose the damaged arm or tentacle; the robot has a -14% penalty to hit with a weapon in that arm, -2 damage for melee attacks. Arm joints damage. Attacker can choose the damaged arm or tentacle. No weapons may be fired from that arm, no melee attacks. Brain casing damage. There is a 50% chance of robot being stunned for d100 minutes (even if A-S implant is installed). When it can operate, it has a -5% penalty to hit with all weapons. Furthermore, there is a 20% chance of a malfunction. Leg broken. Attacker can choose the leg broken. The robot’s ground movement is decreased by 10 meters/turn on movement. Otherwise movement is decreased by 5 meters/turn if the robot is using alternate movement system because it has been hit. Body cracked. The robot has a -10% penalty to hit with all weapons. Movement is decreased by 5 meters/turn. There is a 20% chance of a malfunction. Arm broken. No weapon can be fired from the arm, -5% to chances to repair it. The attacker can chose which arm or tentacle is broken. Arm joint broken. Same as arm broken, but a -25% to chances to repair it. The attacker can chose which arm or tentacle is affected. Brain casing cracked. The robot is stunned for dl00 +20 minutes. There is a 50% chance of it being deactivated. When it reboots, the robot has a -10% penalty to hit with all weapons, a 35% chance of a malfunction. A roboticist has a -30% penalty when trying to repair the damage. Movement center damaged. The robot cannot move, -30% to chances to repair it. Arm joints broken No weapons can be fired from the arm, -20% to chances to repair it. Body and brain casing cracked. The same effects as body cracked and brain casing cracked combined. All damage and penalties are cumulative. Brain casing broken. Automatically deactivated, -20 to hit with all weapons, -20 meters/turn on movement, 55% chance of malfunction, -50% to chances to repair. Explosion. The powerplant has been hit. Microbots explode with a force of 1d10 points, damaging everyone and everything within a 2 meter radius. Ultralight, Super Light and Light Body robots explode with a force of 3d10 points, with a 2 meter radius. Robots with a type 1 parabattery explodes with a force of 5d10 points, with a 5 meter blast radius. Robots with a type 2 parabattery explodes with a force of 7d10 with a 10 meter blast radius. Robots with a type 3 parabattery explodes with a force of 10d10 with a 10 meter blast radius Robots with a type 4 parabattery explodes with a force of 15d10 with a 15 meter blast radius Characters can make a Reaction Speed check to avoid damage. [1] Pamental, Jason and David Packard. “A Shot in the arm: A special damage system for Star Frontiers games,” Star Frontiersman, issue 23, pp. 63-68. Originally printed in Dragon Magazine, issue 124, August 1987. Joe Cabadas |
March 2, 2017 - 9:49pm | Does this game mechanic work for robots? It's a little simplier, I think, than then "Shot in the Arm" system. Joe Cabadas |
March 3, 2017 - 11:28am | Thinking about animal/plant encounters, I turned to Gamma World's first edition for a bit of additional TSR-esque inspiration. When player characters enter areas keyed on the referee’s map that contain beings or plants that are likely to respond to their presence, there will be an encounter. The results of this encounter will depend upon what is encountered and the referee’s discretion.[1] When players are traveling through large areas of unexplored wilderness terrain – on a world that has flora and fauna, the referee should check for random animal encounters once each day and night by rolling a single ten-sided die. A roll of 1 or 0 indicates an encounter. If the adventurers are on the move and covering a certain distance during the time period when the encounter occurs, an appropriate die roll should be cast to determine what time this happens at. The exact location and terrain can be decided on by the referee. As noted in Section I, there is a chance that the creature(s) may surprise the characters, requiring an Intuition check. This check would be modified by the terrain and the creature’s natural camouflage abilities (if any). For example, a predator stalking a character will know how to move stealthily, but a giant, dinosaur-like herbivore with the bulk to defend itself, may serenely munch on its food, ignoring the characters unless they approach too close or cause a disturbance. It is important for a referee to play toe roles of creatures encountered in such a way to challenge the ingenuity of the players. Joe Cabadas |
March 4, 2017 - 11:51am | Repurposed post here: Thinking about creature reactions to characters, here's a few obvious things for a referee to consider: Animal encounter reactions Creature is a carnivore · Is fed · Is hungry · Likes to stalk prey · Character wounded or disabled · Character near den/young · Character doing something to make loud noise, etc. to scare creature away Creature is omnivore · Is fed · Is hungry · Character wounded or disabled · Character near den/young · Character doing something to make loud noise, etc. to scare creature away Creature is herbivore · Skittish · Has strong defenses · Much smaller than characters/vehicles · Characters invading its territory · Herd animals with bulls or dominant females that defend territory/young So, these could be ideas to create modifiers for some sort of generalized creature reaction table. Did AD&D have something like this or was it more along the lines the characters encounter a creature and there's always a fight? A lot of times, characters may not even know when they have close encounters with ferocious animals if the animals are fed/content at the time. My idea for creating a general creature reaction table is for those unplanned, random encounters that can occur during an adventure. Joe Cabadas |
March 3, 2017 - 11:28am | Much of the rest will come straight out of the Alpha Dawn rulebook: Creature Reactions. A creature's reaction to a character depends on the animal's temperament and what the character does. The creature may be naturally timid, curious or aggressive; it may be hungry, or it might have just eaten. A character can affect the creature's reaction by ignoring it, coaxing it with food, or frightening it with fire, loud noises or flashes of light. The referee must use his judgment in these cases, but several things to consider including: Intelligence. Intelligent creatures will not be frightened by a burning torch, clanging frying pans, etc. Creatures with low intelligence, however, might be easily startled or frightened away by these actions. Experience. A creature is less likely to be afraid of something it has seen before, unless the previous experience was very painful or frightening. Size. Large creatures often are harder to frighten then small ones. (Also see Target Size on page 12). Type. Carnivores tend to be more aggressive and harder to frighten than herbivores, which tend to be timid. Omnivores tend to be curious. Temperament. If a creature is naturally aggressive, it may attack creatures much larger than itself with very little fear. Timid creatures try to avoid fighting whenever they can. Motivation. Any creature that fights has a reason for fighting. Even naturally shy and weak creatures may fight savagely to defend their lair, their territory or their young. Those that are cornered or wounded, sensing that they must fight or die, often fight ferociously and without fear. Joe Cabadas |
March 3, 2017 - 3:18pm | But, it still begs the question, what kind of generic creature/plant encounter table could be created? First one has to do with the issue of surprise and what modifiers should be applied to characters' Intuition ability checks. Anyone have any ideas? Addition at 5:17 pm 3/3/2017 I just thought of something so I'll add it here: Animal surprise modifiers for Intuition checks Creature is in its natural environment -5 Creature is out of its natural environment +10 Creature is tiny -10 Creature is small -5 Creature is medium 0 Creature is large +10 Creature is giant +15 Creature stalks its prey -5 Creature lies in weight for prey -10 Creature is a herd/flock animal in a herd +15 Does this seem reasonable?
Joe Cabadas |
March 4, 2017 - 11:47am | I think the robot damage chart and modifiers need a bit of adjustment. It seems a little too hard to get a catastrophic event. Addendum: I altered the proposed damage table and modifiers to this scheme.
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March 15, 2017 - 8:55am |
Some other Creature Encounter ideas from ExileinParadise Senses Movement Modes Loner, Packs? Hunger, Thirst Sleep Curiosity Mating Season? Hibernation? Territorial? · no territorial area · territorial area small such as home or nest only · territorial area large · territorial area changes with the season · territorial area depends on young (how?) · changes territorial area (why?) · marks or patrols territory · territorial defense against its own kind only · territorial defense against one sex only · territorial to exclude one other species · territorial to exclude all intruders · only one sex defends the territory · attacks intruders, content to drive away · attacks intruders, will try to kill · will defend territory until dead · special territory such as property concept Lair or Nest? · never builds a nest · builds big nest · builds a new nest every year · builds false or dummy nests (why?) · builds concealed or camouflaged nest · builds complex nest such as tunnel network · builds nest, specific shape such as triangular · secretes special substance to build nest · makes use of natural nest or lair such as cave · steals another's nest or lair (same species?) · only uses nest or lair abandoned by another · only one sex builds nest · only one sex uses nest or lair at specific times · only uses nest or lair at specific times · mates only in nest or lair · periodically moves or changes nest or lair · communal nest or lair that is shared with others · one sex never leaves nest or lair (which?) · nest or lair serves unusual function such as larder · decorates nest or lair (what with?) · will defend nest or lair (to the death?) Intelligence Level? · plant-like, automatic responses only, that is it always reacts the same way regardless of the stimuli triggering the action. · plant-like, variable responses, that is reaction varies according to varying stimuli, only reacts, does not initiate action · stagnant intelligence, able to recognize food source and own kind such as possible mates, reactions vary accordingly · stagnant intelligence, recognizes food source, own kind, and is aware of surroundings such as has set responses triggered by fear · latent intelligence, recognizes food source, own kind, and is aware of surroundings, able to make priority judgements such as can assess danger, avoid enemies, etc · latent intelligence, potential to imitate others, may mimic or copy, might pickup simple tricks · active intelligence, may override instincts if reason such as overcome fear of fire to escape, can be taught simple tricks · active intelligence, aware of basic intentions of others, may respond with subtlety such as could attempt to please · vibrant intelligence, able to work out simple ideas for itself such as how to open door, how to attract attention, etc · vibrant intelligence, may experiement to try and achieve a desired aim such as pile items together to ake a platform to reach food · dynamic intelligence, able to cope with more than one idea at once, able to adjust rapidly to changes in situation Joe Cabadas |
March 15, 2017 - 8:56am |
Other Animal Encounter Ideas A lot depends on a creature’s inclinations: how aggressive or passive it is – i.e. temperament. A Sathar attack monster will have a very aggressive temperament, but a rabbit would be timid. Below is a rough encounter/reaction chart.
Other modification factors depend on: Character alone Character in a group Character injured Day/Night factors: presence of campfire; presence of food Wilderness versus cultivated area Creatures’ previous experiences with hunting/weapons/robots and vehicles Characters in vehicle/vehicle size Joe Cabadas |
 March 26, 2017 - 8:15am | WRT robots, what happens when any given robot isn't anthropomorphic? I ask as, in the recent campaign I ran, robots featured largely but only one type looked like a human biped. Others resembled small tanks, small spheres, and an NPC had one that resembled a sort of floating barrel with many of it's arms etc carried internally until they were needed. It seems to me that robots would be in various shapes and sizes, as is the case in quite a lot of sci-fi going way back when. |
March 26, 2017 - 11:10am | WRT robots, what happens when any given robot isn't anthropomorphic? I ask as, in the recent campaign I ran, robots featured largely but only one type looked like a human biped. Others resembled small tanks, small spheres, and an NPC had one that resembled a sort of floating barrel with many of it's arms etc carried internally until they were needed.
It seems to me that robots would be in various shapes and sizes, as is the case in quite a lot of sci-fi going way back when. I definitely agree. And there can be robots that resemble other things like animals or plants. Joe Cabadas |
March 27, 2017 - 12:47am | In my adventure, I pretty much based things on how much damage a robot took in any one attack/turn, and then how many STA they had left. One could write up a basic table working on that premise. I say this as generally I don't like to have to check against long lists/tables when I'm managing NPC responses during combat and other busy game events. It tends to slow things down. |
March 27, 2017 - 5:33am | In my adventure, I pretty much based things on how much damage a robot took in any one attack/turn, and then how many STA they had left. One could write up a basic table working on that premise. I say this as generally I don't like to have to check against long lists/tables when I'm managing NPC responses during combat and other busy game events. It tends to slow things down.
I understand your point of view on this. the robot damage table is an option and uses an existing game mechanic. I suppose it could be made even simplier. Any suggestions? Joe Cabadas |
March 27, 2017 - 2:56pm | Well, I think in my game I just went with effects triggered by % of STA lost by any given robot, then winged it a bit. So, the more STA lost, the more extreme the effect on the robot. That way you dont necessarily have to figure out limbs etc - you could just have a few levels of immobility, but only in a basic way, and have something that's easy to use at a glance. Aside from that, I think it works best sometimes to just suggest an effect rather than go into details, so that the referee can work things on the fly that suits their game session and the events within it. I could probably figure out a basic outline, if I had more brain time to devote to it - unfortunately I just don't have that time to spare at the moment |
March 27, 2017 - 8:33pm | OK. You've inspired me to make this a bit simplier... which I like actually. Optional: Damaging a Robot[1]
Whenever a robot is hit by an automatic attack (01-02) or has less than 50% of its original structure points, the attacking character must roll 2d10 on the Robot Damage Table. The number of dice of damage caused by the attack is added to the result. This number is modified by the type of robot. A separate roll is made for each successful attack.
Explanation of Robot Damage No Effect. No extra damage was done to the robot. Body Damage. The robot has a -5% penalty to hit with weapons due to internal damage. Leg Damage. -5 meters/turn on movement (unless robot has alternate movement system, such as rocket movement.) Body Cracked. The robot has a -10% penalty to hit with all weapons. Movement is decreased by 5 meters/turn. There is a 20% chance of a malfunction. Arm Damage. Attacker can choose the damaged arm or tentacle; the robot has -10% penalty to hit with any weapon held in that arm. Movement Center Damaged. The robot cannot move until the damage is repaired. Brain Casing Cracked. There is a 50% chance of robot being stunned for 1d10 turns (even if A-S implant is installed). When it can operate, it has a -5% penalty to hit with all weapons. Furthermore, there is a 20% chance of a malfunction. Body and Brain Casing Cracked. The same effects as body cracked and brain casing cracked combined. All damage and penalties are cumulative. Brain Casing Broken. The robot is automatically deactivated. A roboticist must reactivate it with a -10% modifier. Until fully repaired, it has a -10% penalty to hit with all weapons, -20 meters/turn on movement, 25% chance of malfunction. Explosion. The powerplant has been hit. Microbots explode with a force of 1d10 points, damaging everyone and everything within a 2 meter radius. Ultralight, Super Light and Light Body robots explode with a force of 3d10 points, with a 2 meter radius. · Robots with a type 1 parabattery explodes with a force of 4d10 points, with a 5 meter blast radius. · Robots with a type 2 parabattery explodes with a force of 8d10 with a 10 meter blast radius. · Robots with a type 3 parabattery explodes with a force of 10d10 with a 10 meter blast radius · Robots with a type 4 parabattery explodes with a force of 12d10 with a 15 meter blast radius Characters can make a Reaction Speed check to avoid damage.
[1] Pamental, Jason and David Packard. “A Shot in the arm: A special damage system for Star Frontiers games,” Star Frontiersman, issue 23, pp. 63-68. Originally printed in Dragon Magazine, issue 124, August 1987
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March 28, 2017 - 12:31am | The thing is, having to consult and roll on a table every time a robot is hit could get a little time consuming - especially if the robot receives mutiple hits in any one combat round. This is why I just went with basing it around how much STA it lost as a % of it's total, and having effects stem from that. I'll have to try and write it up next week. |
 March 31, 2017 - 11:29am | Rather than a load of tables, it might be worth doing a damage diagram sort of thing, similar to how Battletech tracked Mech damages, or better yet, how Renegade Legion tracked armor and system damage - with cascading damage - for fighters and such: Examples: http://www.gamesfromthefront.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_2805.jpg https://wolfwings.us/interceptor/Installation1.png |
March 31, 2017 - 4:09pm | I'm certainly not opposed to a damage diagram. I loved Battletech. I would require redoing the Star Frontiers game mechanics, though Jedion's pointed out it is a bit funky especially when it comes to damaging vehicles. I was trying to use some preexisting rules, though one thing that could be done is decide that an automatic hit of 01-02 would "stun" a robot or a remote weapons system for 1d10 turns like it knocks out a character. You wouldn't need a chart then. I like the idea for using a damage diagram for powered armor. If you go to the Top Secret project and look for the Dragon magazine downloads that Jedion posted there, you'll find a PDF of Star Frontiers articles. Just look at the powered armor one toward the end. Yuck! Joe Cabadas |
April 3, 2017 - 1:46am | Having to consult a multi-armed chart is just as time-consuming and game-slowing as tables IMHO  Robots are just objects, like vehicles, or buildings, or whatever. Essentially anyway. If they end up using more complexities than characters have, it seems to be a bit of overkill. Consider also that the game isn't at all focused on the minutae of robots, so it's best to keep things as simple as possible. |
 April 3, 2017 - 3:55am | Having to consult a multi-armed chart is just as time-consuming and game-slowing as tables IMHO Robots are just objects, like vehicles, or buildings, or whatever. Essentially anyway. If they end up using more complexities than characters have, it seems to be a bit of overkill. Consider also that the game isn't at all focused on the minutae of robots, so it's best to keep things as simple as possible.I'm always torn between wanting a higher level of complexity ie more simulated realism, whatever that may be, and simple fast play. For the most part I'm actually ok with robots having x amoutn of STA and when they are damaged to 0 they stop working. They are for all intents and purposes a mookish throw away opponent funcitoning as a speed bumb for the PCs about 75% of the time. On the other hand power armor is typically going to be a PC vehicle. I suppose you could take a page from KH's where your have basic and advanced rules where the advanced rules damage of a star ship does things like reduce MR or ADF or take out a weapon system etc. Funny thing is that even though i like the idea of the advanced rules in KHs I never use them. the last dozen or so KHs games I've run were almost certainly basic game rules for speed I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
April 3, 2017 - 6:35am | Keep in mind I am putting together a compilation of mostly existing combat rules. The robot damage chart originates from a Dragon magazine article for ablative damge -- granted it's something I don't use but thought it might be good as an optional chapter for anyone who wants a complete reference. Now, I'm thinking as a quick and easy option is to allow a robot to be stunned on a hit of 01-02 for 1d10 turns. Maybe give a combat robot a -1 modifier and a warbot a -2 modifier to reboot faster. When a robot is reduced to 20% of its STA, then it suffers problems similar to a wounded character -- movement rate reduced by half, -10% to hit. I don't believe that would be too complicated. Joe Cabadas |
April 3, 2017 - 7:31am | When a robot is reduced to 20% of its STA, then it suffers problems similar to a wounded character -- movement rate reduced by half, -10% to hit. Yep, something along those lines would be way more practical. When I used robots in my recent SF game, that's pretty much what I did. At one point there was a small battle with around 20 robots - some anthropomorphic, some tank-like - and having to consult a table or diagram for that would've been especially impractical. |
