In other news: Game 002 has ended today! We don't have a real winner, since all three Sartha have survived. If I had to declare a winner by score, it would be Mekt-Hakkikt: He dealt 10 damage points to his opponent(s), while floundericiousMI inflicted 5 dps.
Hopefully, with the new rules included, the next match will be more spectacular.
The one thing I noticed with this was that it was so HARD to get into a good "Firing Position"
You had to prognosticate and consult chicken entrails to work out where your opponent was going and then position your self...and then, if you were off by one hex, no joy....
It's almost as though you should split the movement phase into two parts... let's see, let me sketch it out:
- declare speed for this turn
- declare intention to attempt an attack against "X"
- make maneuver
- attack, if possible
- use remaining movement points
There would be an alternate path, if you weren't trying to make an attack...the sequence would be something similar:
- declare speed for this turn
- declare intention to reserve fire
- make maneuver
- use remaining movement points
Reserved fire can be expended at any time during the turn, when an opponent crosses through your firing arc/range
If that looks like it's too powerful, easy, etc. then you could allow only half the available fire rate (round up)...
Taking game 02 as an example, when Mekt-Hakkikt and I went head-on and exchanged fire... if I'd "reserved fire" before finishing the movement pulse, I'd have only gotten off 2 shots whereas M-H was determined to fire and declared an attack against me...he got off 3 shots.
Another version of that exchange... let's say Pip flashed across between us as the first half of the movement pulse was expended. As I'd reserved fire, I would have the option to pop off 1 or 2 shots from my neutron guns. As M-H had
declared an attack against me, he's not seeing the opportunity, so he misses the exposed flank that runs in front of him.
This also works with missiles. If you declare an attack on someone and your ship is equipped with missiles requiring lock, you initate the lock-on process...when the first-half movement pulse is done, you must have them still in your lock-arc to be able to initiate a missile attack. If you're using something that is IFF or dumbfire, who cares...at any point when you could opt to fire, those weapons can be unleashed without lock.
just a couple of thoughts...
I'm not up for a game at this point, but maybe the next one?