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Subject: 
Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Wed, 5 Apr 2000 16:50:51 GMT
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Hi Mike,

As one of the NELUG Brikwars-Fanatics, I wanted to pose a question to you, as the
keeper of all knowledge arcane and sacred regarding the game.  Actually, I just
wanted to get your thoughts on an  interpretation of the rules.

Here's the situation - I have an armed "flying suit", if you will, which can zip
handily around at high velocities and basically act like a moquito on
amphetamines.  We're talking a small suit (which can be seen worn by the
Darth-Maul trooper in the lower-right-hand corner of this picture:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=2867), hardly larger than the
minifig wearing it (it's built and paid for as a small flying vehicle).  What I
suddenly realized I wanted to do was slap a SpaceHero in one of these, in part due
to his high skill roll.  Plus it's kind of cool, the hero in the small flying
suit, etc.

Now, what I'm wondering is if this even works.  The rules state the each armed
vehicle must start with a spacepilot, but gives the rationale of needing the
pilot's high skill roll to work the guns.  It also says that if the pilot dies,
any trooper can take his spot.  In your esteemed opinion, are any (or all) of the
following legitimate interpretations of the rules:

1)  The SpaceHero, having a high skill roll, may start the game in the flying suit
in lieu of a spacepilot.
       (a)  This spawns the sub-question - should I then have another pilot
hanging around vehicle-less to retain the one-per-vehicle ratio?

2)  The SpacePilot must start the game in his flying suit, but may take his first
movement phase to hop out, and then the SpaceHero may proceed to   enter the suit
at his leisure

3)  The SpacePilot must start the game in his flying suit, and only if he dies
while the suit survives may the SpaceHero strap himself in

4)  Another situation, not conceived of by this loyal fan

I wouldn't hold you to this ("But Mike said so ..."), unless you decreed it
inviolable (which may or may not be heeded anyways ;).  As I said, I was just
looking for your thoughts as to what is Kosher in this situation, and what is
pushing it a little too far ... Normally I am a big fan of group concensus, but
ideally I'd like to pull this off sans-public-knowledge for the surprise
kick-in-the-pants it might offer (insert diabolical laugh here)

Anyways, more pics of the 4/1/00 Brikwars event are being developed as I type, and
will be picked up tomorrow afternoon, hopefully scanned in Friday morning.  We are
already planning another for the end of the month, hopefully with more time at our
disposal.

Thanks for listening to me blather,
shaun


Subject: 
Re: Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Wed, 5 Apr 2000 17:26:45 GMT
Viewed: 
2585 times
  
In lugnet.org.us.nelug, Shaun Sullivan writes:


Here's the situation - I have an armed "flying suit", if you will, which can
zip
handily around at high velocities and basically act like a moquito on
amphetamines.

Argh!  Little bastards.

I
suddenly realized I wanted to do was slap a SpaceHero in one of these, in part
due
to his high skill roll.  Plus it's kind of cool, the hero in the small flying
suit, etc.

Now, what I'm wondering is if this even works.

I can actually answer this one for you, Shaun, because I asked Mike the same
question (I wanted a SpaceHero in my Mech :D).

Basically, anyone can start the game driving a vehicle (like my MEDIC!  HA HA!)
but only a pilot can move *and* fire a vehicle's weapons in the same turn.

Dang.  I deleted the part where you said that you were asking so that you
wouldn't have a diabolical surprise... I wanted to say that I'm not as nice a
guy as you, apparently.

Here's a question, though:  Would we think it was generally OK to have a Hero
burn his Stupendous Feat on piloting and firing in the same turn?  I wouldn't
have a problem with it in theory, but you know how I am about wanted to raise
the value of the standard footsoldier to being worth feilding somehow, and that
makes vehicles even more powerful.  Of course, if we leave the 5 Troops to 1
vehicle ratio house rule in place, it should even out.  That would mean you'd
have to have... what's the ratio on SpaceHeroes?  7?  So you'd have to have 12
Troops to field a single vehicle with a SpaceHero running it.

eric


Subject: 
Re: Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Wed, 5 Apr 2000 17:40:55 GMT
Viewed: 
2534 times
  
In lugnet.org.us.nelug, Shaun Sullivan writes:


Hi Mike,

As one of the NELUG Brikwars-Fanatics, I wanted to pose a question to you, as • the
keeper of all knowledge arcane and sacred regarding the game.  Actually, I
just wanted to get your thoughts on an  interpretation of the rules.

Here's the situation - I have an armed "flying suit", if you will, which can
zip handily around at high velocities and basically act like a moquito on
amphetamines.  We're talking a small suit (which can be seen worn by the
Darth-Maul trooper in the lower-right-hand corner of this picture:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=2867), hardly larger than the
minifig wearing it (it's built and paid for as a small flying vehicle).  What
I suddenly realized I wanted to do was slap a SpaceHero in one of these, in
part due to his high skill roll.  Plus it's kind of cool, the hero in the
small flying suit, etc.


Great minds think alike!  I created on of these mosquito buggers yesterday and
was thinking "man what if I could have a SpaceHero fly this instead of just a
little old pilot.  Not to mention the fact I wanted the SpaceHero carrying a
Death Gun :-).  You should see it its quite commical, basically just a fig with
little wings carrying a huge gun.  I don't think its practical for an actual
game but I might bring it for show anyway and then just give the pilot a more
reasonable gun.

Normally I am a big fan of group concensus, but ideally I'd like to pull this
off sans-public-knowledge for the surprise kick-in-the-pants it might offer
(insert diabolical laugh here)

Kind of like my harmless looking Gonks.  I just wish you had been able to feel
their furry before we had to pick up.  Wahhhahhh!!! Wahha Wahhhaaaahhaaaa!!!


Eric Kingsley

The New England LEGO Users Group
http://www.nelug.org/

View My Creations at:
http://www.nelug.org/members/kingsley/


Subject: 
Re: Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Wed, 5 Apr 2000 19:58:33 GMT
Viewed: 
2608 times
  
HA!  lolololol - I kill me!  This was supposed to go just to Mike, not to the whole
newsgroup.  Oh, woe is me and my pitiful little plans for miniworld domination!  Might
as well plaster my battle plans on a bulletin board before the next meeting ;)  The
best laid plans of minifigs and men ...

Anyways, in reading Eric's reply, I think he has a very convincing argument.  In
retrospect, I'm almost partial to saying that spacepilots are trained to pilot things,
and that is the natural order of the world.  Spaceheroes are trained to run around and
increase the overall havoc on foot, and that too is the natural order of things.  The
two shouldn't mix ... ahh, so the little buggers can't hit anything ... hopefully that
works both ways :)  Of course, if the group wanted to allow SpaceHeroes to pilot
vehicles and move and shoot in the same turn ala their stupendous feats, that would
also be very cool too ... whatever the group decides via consensus, I'll abide by with
my fist shaking beligerently  in the air.

As a side note, these discussions are in this group because of their bearing to the
NELUG events - however, I was just curious if they were more appropriate for another
forum more specifically geared towards the game?  As in, lugnet.fun.gaming, where
others around the globe might have thoughts on the rules as well?  Or should we push
Todd for a lugnet.plastic-mayhem.brikwars_and_other_assorted_quasiviolent_outlets
subgroup?  On the other hand, they are being discussed here due to their relevance to
the local events - grrrrr, so... overwhelming ...

shaun


Subject: 
Re: Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Wed, 5 Apr 2000 22:17:28 GMT
Viewed: 
2660 times
  
HA!  lolololol - I kill me!  This was supposed to go just to Mike,
not to the whole newsgroup.

lol

I wouldn't hold you to this ("But Mike said so ..."), unless you
decreed it inviolable (which may or may not be heeded anyways ;).

I don't think I've ever declared anything inviolable, but it sounds like fun.
It'd be like being the Pope.

Anyways, in reading Eric's reply, I think he has a very convincing
argument.  In retrospect, I'm almost partial to saying that
spacepilots are trained to pilot things, and that is the natural
order of the world.  Spaceheroes are trained to run around and
increase the overall havoc on foot, and that too is the natural
order of things.  The two shouldn't mix ... ahh, so the little
buggers can't hit anything ... hopefully that works both ways :)

I don't see anything wrong with SpaceHeroes piloting vehicles.  Whenever you
wonder about what a spacehero should and shouldn't be able to do, just think
about all the action movies you've seen lately - heroes by and large are meant
to be based on action-movie stars.  Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Bond will
often grab some fancy ride and go around wreaking havoc, although they don't
usually spend the whole movie vehicle-bound.

As to things being hard to hit with vehicle weapons, well, that's an action-
movie thing too.  Buildings and tanks are easy to hit, little running infantry
aren't.  I tried to fix that a little bit in bw2000 by giving more of the
siege weapons an AreaEffect, so targets can still get caught in the blast
radius when the shot misses, and even if they don't get killed they still go
flying a little bit, A-Team style.

Of course, if the group wanted to allow SpaceHeroes to pilot
vehicles and move and shoot in the same turn ala their stupendous
feats, that would also be very cool too ...

I don't see anything wrong with this, but remember that stupendous feats fail
almost half the time (when you roll the 1d6 contest).  If a hero failed his
stupendous feat roll when he tried to move and shoot, he'd screw them both up;
although you'd have to decide on a case-by-case basis what would go wrong at
that point.  The usual action-movie course would be for the vehicle to crash
and be destroyed but for the hero to be mostly unharmed.

Also, just to avoid any confusion, if you want to be specific that should read
'steer and shoot' rather than 'move and shoot.'  If a vehicle is already
moving it will keep moving in the same direction at the same speed while the
non-Pilot driver is busy firing the weapons.  He cannot turn, accelerate, or
decelerate.

Finally, in regards to giving a death gun to a guy piloting a small flyer: You
couldn't put it in his hands, since then he would have no hands free to pilot
the flyer; however if you mounted it on the flyer somehow, then he could fire
it as a vehicle weapon without any problems.  For instance, I have a character
sitting on my computer speaker here, he's a skeleton wearing an Aquazone
helmet/backpack.  I put dragon wings in the claws on the sides of the
backpack, and stuck one of the handles of a cannon into the hollow stud on the
back of the backpack.  He looks ridiculous of course, which is why he gets the
coveted seat on my computer speaker.  It would be easy to replace the cannon
with a death gun.  Under 1998 rules, he would have the following stats:

Skeleton Pilot: 6 Pts.
(5"Mv 1d4AV 1d6+2Sk)

One-Piece Flyer: 6 pts.
(22"Mv 1d6+2AV)

Death Gun: 13 pts.
(10pts for the Death Gun + 1pt to mount it + 2pts for -2MP" = 13pts)
(16Rng UR5 -2MP" 2d10+2dam)

Totals:
  cost: (6+6+13=) 25 pts.
  move: (22"-2"=) 20"
  skill: 1d6+2
  armor: 1d6+2

I could also have made him a Hover Flyer if I thought his wings could flap
fast enough (like an apocalyptic hummingbird), but I figured he'd be more fun
as a normal flyer, since his minimum 10" per turn movement makes him a lot
more prone to crashing into things.


- Mike Rayhawk.


--------------------------------------------------
    Check out the Official BrikWars Home Page at
   http://www.teleport.com/~rayhawks/brikwars.htm
--------------------------------------------------


Subject: 
Re: Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Thu, 6 Apr 2000 16:34:41 GMT
Viewed: 
2718 times
  
In lugnet.org.us.nelug, Shaun Sullivan writes:

HA!  lolololol - I kill me!  This was supposed to go just to Mike, not to the
whole
newsgroup.  Oh, woe is me and my pitiful little plans for miniworld
domination!  Might
as well plaster my battle plans on a bulletin board before the next meeting
;)
<goes back and read's Shaun's original message>

Hey!  You I thought you said you didn't want to have a diabolical surprise!
That'll teach me to read Lugnet and work at the same time.

Well, ok, no, not really.


As a side note, these discussions are in this group because of their bearing
to the
NELUG events - however, I was just curious if they were more appropriate for
another
forum more specifically geared towards the game?  As in, lugnet.fun.gaming,
where
others around the globe might have thoughts on the rules as well?

I asked about a group for wargaming specifically a while back (I think after
our first game) and was pointed to lugnet.fun.gaming.  I don't see the harm in
crossposting to the NELUG group, just to raise visibility on the whole BrikWars
Event cycle.  Of course, that's just my opinion.

eric


Subject: 
Re: Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Thu, 6 Apr 2000 16:55:03 GMT
Highlighted: 
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In lugnet.org.us.nelug, Eric Joslin writes:
<snip>
I asked about a group for wargaming specifically a while back (I think after
our first game) and was pointed to lugnet.fun.gaming.  I don't see the harm in
crossposting to the NELUG group, just to raise visibility on the whole
BrikWars Event cycle.  Of course, that's just my opinion.

eric

I would agree.  I would say to keep posting to both groups.  It looks like
there might be bit of a surge in Brikwars interest as a result of the recent
pic's from actual games.  Plus with more Brikwars events in the future for
NELUG I would say that it is appropriate there too at least for now.  Maybe
once we settle into a pattern for the games then we wouldn't want to cross-post
but for now we are still working things out too.

Eric Kingsley  (Who is resisting the urge to disclose to much about his latest
BrikWars War Machines).

The New England LEGO Users Group
http://www.nelug.org/

View My Creations at:
http://www.nelug.org/members/kingsley/


Subject: 
Re: Another Point to Ponder ...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Thu, 6 Apr 2000 17:44:07 GMT
Viewed: 
3357 times
  
Eric Kingsley wrote:

In lugnet.org.us.nelug, Eric Joslin writes:
<snip>
I asked about a group for wargaming specifically a while back (I think after
our first game) and was pointed to lugnet.fun.gaming.  I don't see the harm in
crossposting to the NELUG group, just to raise visibility on the whole
BrikWars Event cycle.  Of course, that's just my opinion.

eric

I would agree.  I would say to keep posting to both groups.  It looks like
there might be bit of a surge in Brikwars interest as a result of the recent
pic's from actual games.  Plus with more Brikwars events in the future for
NELUG I would say that it is appropriate there too at least for now.  Maybe
once we settle into a pattern for the games then we wouldn't want to cross-post
but for now we are still working things out too.

Eric Kingsley  (Who is resisting the urge to disclose to much about his latest
BrikWars War Machines).


Ahh, give in, give in - whether we're on the same side or not, sharing can only
help ... me

;)

shaun





The New England LEGO Users Group
http://www.nelug.org/

View My Creations at:
http://www.nelug.org/members/kingsley/


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