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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5791
Location: United States
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 Posted: 08-Nov-2014 19:00 Post subject: Aerotech 2 |
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I probably should have posted this as a reply to my earlier post, but i think it distinct enough to warrant an independent post.
I honestly feel that BS and AT2 did a great disservice to battletech's aircraft elements. I feel that they simplified the rules to the point that it no longer battletech in the air.
Aerotech 1 had elements and dynamics that made it feel a lot like (but not exactly like) mech battles. The see saw of moving offensively when you had initiative and moving defensively when you did not. The careful thought on placement and orientation of your units. The thoughtful allocation of fire to maximize the effects of combat.
AT1 had a more complex hit location system that allowed for more complex effects and dynamics. The atmospheric maneuvers helped to allow a player to attempt to place their units in a position to avoid getting shot down easily. The fact that their were more maneuvers and they could be performed at any point during movement helped to negate the power of initiative in the atmosphere.
AT2 removed the complex effects of damage by making every arc just as hardy as the others. No shooting off wings or as easily shooting out the engine. These have some effects in space, but it in the atmo where this has the greatest impact.
By having wings that can be lost, you can have a dynamic in your game that can result in a crash or extremely difficult aircraft to fly; +5 mod to Control Roll and a roll on the turn of wing lose and anytime the unit changes facing in that direction or changes altitude by 2 or more levels while under control. But instead, AT2 is you fly until your shot down (SI) or sufficiently fail a PSR.
Refer to my earlier post for my feeling about the cockpit, but the dedicated engine gives you flexibility on how to handle an exposed and important item. In AT2, your engine is about as protected as it is on a battlemech despite it being exposed to the air. Sure, the fusion core is protected, but the intakes and nozzle are not. It also add another feature that can be utilized to make game play interesting: thrust loss, heat generation, ect.
The game play in AT2 (especially in atmo) is all about greater numbers and winning initiative. If your using the advanced space movement, its better, but the atmospheric game is downright pathetic. The most powerful aero unit i have used was a conventional fighter that had 5/8 movement with 5 machine guns and 4 rocket pods or some such. They were like 300 bv each and dispensable. I have killed 1.5 my number in heavy aero because i could force PSRs with little fear of personal lose. In equal BV fights, i get 2 to 3 times my opponents units and win because i can force PSRs despite init or not. And every atmo fight where we have had equal numbers, came down to lucky hits and initiative. You simply cannot maneuver to protect yourself.
So i think that the Aerotech element of BT should be changed to return to the more elaborate hit locations and an appropriate hit location table. Keep the armor threshold rules but merge the maneuvers from AT2 and AT1. Allow the maneuvers at any point and add more aero specific technology. Make aero fights interesting again rather then flying tanks. Make them the mech battles in the air that they used to be.
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one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
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Jade_Dragon
8th Sword of Light
Sho-sho
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1326
Location: United States
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| Posted: 19-Nov-2014 12:37 Post subject: Aerotech 2 |
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Obviously you have played way more AT1, AT2 and BS than I have. I played a decent amount of AT1 back in the day but once I had AT2 I pretty much looked at, saw it was trash and never really played. BS was all about warships for me.
Your suggestion should very solid. Any chance of getting it written up, or at the very least a list of page numbers if X book of rules you will be using?
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The JadeDragon
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5791
Location: United States
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| Posted: 19-Nov-2014 14:33 Post subject: Re: Aerotech 2 |
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| Jade_Dragon wrote: | Obviously you have played way more AT1, AT2 and BS than I have. I played a decent amount of AT1 back in the day but once I had AT2 I pretty much looked at, saw it was trash and never really played. BS was all about warships for me.
Your suggestion should very solid. Any chance of getting it written up, or at the very least a list of page numbers if X book of rules you will be using? |
I should be able to do something to that effect. Gimmie some time.
_________________
one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
//^(^_^)^\\
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5791
Location: United States
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| Posted: 19-Nov-2014 14:45 Post subject: Re: Aerotech 2 |
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| Jade_Dragon wrote: | | Obviously you have played way more AT1, AT2 and BS than I have. I played a decent amount of AT1 back in the day but once I had AT2 I pretty much looked at, saw it was trash and never really played. BS was all about warships for me. |
Oh I agree that BS was all about the Warships. It was by far the most interesting system for Warships and other large craft. It was not a smooth system and was kinda clunky, but man... you felt like you were pounding the thickly armored hull of another craft. It was great. But it was in way as smooth as AT2.
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one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
//^(^_^)^\\
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