I see you about the lack of kills. The Xwing is particularly awkward in that regard, because if you include Integrated Astro, it starts hypering out at literally half HP. the Ywing and Bwing go at 3/8 and the Awing hypers at 1/4 hp.

I am OK with small changes to the Xp system like adding or changing entries, but your suggested tiered communal XP is a bit harder to swallow. Making both Kill and Rebel kill communal feels better to me- hunting down an Ace Xwing is then worth 4 XP to the killer and 3 XP to everyone else in the (potentially 12 strong, if their using the half-ship Tie Fighters) Tie Swarm.

Perhaps if the Xwing hypers at 1 HP+integrated astro, instead of 2, that might make them more killable, too. It would put them in the same range as the other rebel ships.

The more you make communal, the better - it'll encourage teamwork rather than "Hey, that's my kill" - which was fine in Rebel fleets, partly because their opponents were rapidly enough starting to resemble XP pinatas anyway.

Thing to note is that there's only one truly 2 attack ship in the entire Rebel lineup, and that's the A-wing: A green-manouvering shenanigan-oriented specialist, a pair of Prockets aside. Everything else throws 3 dice or runs on turrets. To compare, the TIE fighter, TIE Shuttle, and TAP have no way to reliably boost their firepower (I'm figuring up to 8 GC'd shots from a TIE Bomber counts as 'reliable', thank you very much ) and even the TIE Advanced is either target-focusing or putting out reliable 2-hit attacks that can struggle against higher agility enemies. (The ability to grab Cluster or Homing missiles helps the TIE Adv. here a bit; plink Y-wings to death and save a Homing Missile for a pesky Ace, for instance.)

Combine with tougher enemies that escape more easily, and yeah, you really want players working together - and happy to accept each others help - on the ship kills.

Oh, side thought: How much should the inevitable Hyperdrive Modification be worth? Extra fluffy is that it was usually done to Royal Guard interceptors... which have the extra mod slot to start with.

Integrated Astromech being used by an Xwing should cancel out its ability to flee via hyperdrive since if the droid is destroyed/fried than it cant use the droids navcomputer to get out of there.

I posted this in the votac thread and didnt get any traction, so i thought i would try it t here..

how about if your wingman is an exact clone of you and mimics all of your actions and also absorbs all of the damage for your flight before you take damage.. Or..

What if we allowed for Additional Empire AI units so that there was AI on both sides of the field.. You could have the number and pilot skill of friendly AI based on the pilot skill of your ship.

Then you are fielding more ships but there is the additional thematic quality of not even knowing what your own team is going to do. You can use them as cover, it puts more "hunter" ships on the board...

It would also make for more exciting solo play.

Thank you

-Shisno

I posted this in the votac thread and didnt get any traction, so i thought i would try it t here..

how about if your wingman is an exact clone of you and mimics all of your actions and also absorbs all of the damage for your flight before you take damage.. Or..

What if we allowed for Additional Empire AI units so that there was AI on both sides of the field.. You could have the number and pilot skill of friendly AI based on the pilot skill of your ship.

Then you are fielding more ships but there is the additional thematic quality of not even knowing what your own team is going to do. You can use them as cover, it puts more "hunter" ships on the board...

It would also make for more exciting solo play.

Thank you

-Shisno

Surely if you want solo play to be more interesting you just field a couple of ships yourself.

I'm pretty sure the basic game has support for a single player running two or three - or possibly even eight! - dials in a single turn.

Yes Reiver, you could field more ships.. But if you field AI ships, you are not attached to them if they dont make it to the end of turn 12, in fact they are intended not to.. More ships exploding and general battlefield chaos without losing your own elite ship.. (Hopefully)

Maybe it wouldn't be relevant for every mission, maybe just one block of three missions has same team AI ships..

I posted this in the votac thread and didnt get any traction, so i thought i would try it t here..

how about if your wingman is an exact clone of you and mimics all of your actions and also absorbs all of the damage for your flight before you take damage.. Or..

What if we allowed for Additional Empire AI units so that there was AI on both sides of the field.. You could have the number and pilot skill of friendly AI based on the pilot skill of your ship.

Then you are fielding more ships but there is the additional thematic quality of not even knowing what your own team is going to do. You can use them as cover, it puts more "hunter" ships on the board...

It would also make for more exciting solo play.

Thank you

-Shisno

The original wingman idea was mine- however, it has since evolved into individual "half ship" tie fighters that are currently in this modue. I do not feel that AI allies are appropriate for this campaign.

The more you make communal, the better - it'll encourage teamwork rather than "Hey, that's my kill" - which was fine in Rebel fleets, partly because their opponents were rapidly enough starting to resemble XP pinatas anyway.

Thing to note is that there's only one truly 2 attack ship in the entire Rebel lineup, and that's the A-wing: A green-manouvering shenanigan-oriented specialist, a pair of Prockets aside. Everything else throws 3 dice or runs on turrets. To compare, the TIE fighter, TIE Shuttle, and TAP have no way to reliably boost their firepower (I'm figuring up to 8 GC'd shots from a TIE Bomber counts as 'reliable', thank you very much ) and even the TIE Advanced is either target-focusing or putting out reliable 2-hit attacks that can struggle against higher agility enemies. (The ability to grab Cluster or Homing missiles helps the TIE Adv. here a bit; plink Y-wings to death and save a Homing Missile for a pesky Ace, for instance.)

Combine with tougher enemies that escape more easily, and yeah, you really want players working together - and happy to accept each others help - on the ship kills.

Oh, side thought: How much should the inevitable Hyperdrive Modification be worth? Extra fluffy is that it was usually done to Royal Guard interceptors... which have the extra mod slot to start with.

The TAP title encourages TL use, the Tie Fighter counts as only half a ship (and thus gets twice as many shots as a normal fighter for the same opposition), and the Tie Shuttle is more of a HWK support ship. With System and Fleet officers, Tie Shuttle should be an assist generating machine.

Hyperdrive modification? hmm... the Tie Advance is the only one that starts with it, and gets 3 less XP to play with than the Tie Intercepter. it also has a crappier dial, extra survivability, and a system. Also upgrades like this are always overpriced. Lets say 4-5 XP for hyperdrive, pending platesting.

I posted this in the votac thread and didnt get any traction, so i thought i would try it t here..

how about if your wingman is an exact clone of you and mimics all of your actions and also absorbs all of the damage for your flight before you take damage.. Or..

What if we allowed for Additional Empire AI units so that there was AI on both sides of the field.. You could have the number and pilot skill of friendly AI based on the pilot skill of your ship.

Then you are fielding more ships but there is the additional thematic quality of not even knowing what your own team is going to do. You can use them as cover, it puts more "hunter" ships on the board...

It would also make for more exciting solo play.

Thank you

-Shisno

The original wingman idea was mine- however, it has since evolved into individual "half ship" tie fighters that are currently in this modue. I do not feel that AI allies are appropriate for this campaign.

I tried

This sounds amazing. I have one small concern, why Hunters of the Aturi Cluster? I has the same letters as Heroes of the Aturi Cluster, HOTAC. How am I going to tell them apart!?

I think the simplest possible change is HitAC.

Hunters in the Aturi Cluster

IT's Hunters because it sounded more aggressive than Defenders of the Aturi cluster and more Imperial than Villians.

What about Protectors of the Aturi Cluster?

Given the fact that The Empire is the legitimate galactic government, it makes a certain amount of sense that public relations demands positive nomenclature.

As a comparison, the rebel propaganda machine uses 'Heroes' to cast itself in a positive light as 'freedom fighters' when in reality they are a terrorist organisation.

This sounds amazing. I have one small concern, why Hunters of the Aturi Cluster? I has the same letters as Heroes of the Aturi Cluster, HOTAC. How am I going to tell them apart!?

I think the simplest possible change is HitAC.

Hunters in the Aturi Cluster

IT's Hunters because it sounded more aggressive than Defenders of the Aturi cluster and more Imperial than Villians.

What about Protectors of the Aturi Cluster?

Given the fact that The Empire is the legitimate galactic government, it makes a certain amount of sense that public relations demands positive nomenclature.

As a comparison, the rebel propaganda machine uses 'Heroes' to cast itself in a positive light as 'freedom fighters' when in reality they are a terrorist organisation.

Find me three names of individual Imperial Star Destroyers (under imperial control, not new republic rebrands) and tell me again the one about public relations and positive nomeclature.

"Fear will keep the systems in line." The name of the imperial campaign should be able to evoke at least a smidgen of fear, or it's not doing it's job.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Protector_(Victory_I-class) Victory class- SD named the Protector- Admiral Harkov's flagship, though yes he was a traitor, but he didnt change his SD's name, to Protector, it was alreay named that.

And more on both of those lists....

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Imperial-class_Star_Destroyers

http://www.theforce.net/swtc/isdlist.html

Steadfast, Adamant, Vanguard, Resolution, Reliance, Intrepid, Majestic...the list goes on, plus there are even more than these two sites, the wookiepedia link is only new cannon ones, there are more on the legends one. Not to mention Victory star Destroyers and other non-Star Destroyer capital ships.

And yes there are quite a lot that are more violent, but it isnt always the case.

And yes there are quite a lot that are more violent, but it isnt always the case.

Its enough to throw out the argument that the empire dresses up their weapons of terror in pretty names for good PR.

It's hunters, and will remain hunters until I see something both appropriate for starfghters and more aggressive and intimidating.

And yes there are quite a lot that are more violent, but it isnt always the case.

Its enough to throw out the argument that the empire dresses up their weapons of terror in pretty names for good PR.

It's hunters, and will remain hunters until I see something both appropriate for starfghters and more aggressive and intimidating.

For the record its now two people (not including myself) on just this threa that have asked about the name.

And one or more that have suggested things that you've immediately dismissed game wise.

.

Here's a hint, if you want help getting this done, accepting suggestions from people on a different name and on game/campaign/exp mechanics is key.

And yes there are quite a lot that are more violent, but it isnt always the case.

Its enough to throw out the argument that the empire dresses up their weapons of terror in pretty names for good PR.

It's hunters, and will remain hunters until I see something both appropriate for starfghters and more aggressive and intimidating.

Sounds like yo've made up your mind despite critics that keep saying the same thing that it doesnt fit the side of the Empire, or those that say it will get mixed up with HOTAC (Heroes), congratulations on being so stubborn...I wonder at times if there is need for most of this thread since you just want to do things your way anyway, despite any gaming suggestions.

For the record its now two people (not including myself) on just this threa that have asked about the name.

And one or more that have suggested things that you've immediately dismissed game wise.

.

Here's a hint, if you want help getting this done, accepting suggestions from people on a different name and on game/campaign/exp mechanics is key.

I will chime in here, in the villians of the aturi cluster I proposed the title being Hunters of the Aturi Cluster with the flavour text below:

"In response to the growing unrest in the Aturi Cluster, the Quasar-Fire Cruiser Carrier PURSUANT, home of the Elite Hunter Squad is tasked with wiping out the hidden rebel and pirate strongholds in this region of space.

These are the stories of the HUNTERS OF THE ATURI CLUSTER"

The reasons were I also did not agree with villians or defenders as a title. I felt something predatory and aggressive was called for. If you read the text above, it explains why 'Hunters' is used.

To sum up, the empire likes its cookie cutter troops, but the Heroes campaign makes great use of mix and matching all the pilot abilities and upgrades to make elite pilots. This is decidely un-imperial, unless reasons are given, as the above Hunter Squad, being an elite squadron sent in to take care of the rebel presence - a special ops squad comprised of some of the best the Imperial Flight Academy has to offer. It gives a fluff reason to have really skilled imperial pilots with abilities rivaling the rebels in the Aturi Heroes campaign.

As to people being confused with the HotAC acronym, there is a very SIMPLE way not to. Stop being lazy, and type out Hunters of the Aturi Cluster or Heroes of the Aturi Cluster.

As to people being confused with the HotAC acronym, there is a very SIMPLE way not to. Stop being lazy, and type out Hunters of the Aturi Cluster or Heroes of the Aturi Cluster.

or even simper, the system both campains share is HotAC, the campains are Heros and Hunters.

so.. I'm having a stream of consciousness.. what if you are not the pilot.. what if you are some high(ish) ranking official.. Lt. whatever.. and you have a pool of ships available to you.. lets say 10 ties.. you get a mission, and you assign resources to the mission.. if you complete the mission you get gear.. your pilots skills improve.. as you complete missions you get more and better ships, but there are rules (per mission) about how many ships you can field.. as you are the empire, you will never run out of basic ties.. you complete more missions you get better ships.. etc.. if an elite ship is destroyed you replace it with a basic Tie.. wash repeat ?

so.. I'm having a stream of consciousness.. what if you are not the pilot.. what if you are some high(ish) ranking official.. Lt. whatever.. and you have a pool of ships available to you.. lets say 10 ties.. you get a mission, and you assign resources to the mission.. if you complete the mission you get gear.. your pilots skills improve.. as you complete missions you get more and better ships, but there are rules (per mission) about how many ships you can field.. as you are the empire, you will never run out of basic ties.. you complete more missions you get better ships.. etc.. if an elite ship is destroyed you replace it with a basic Tie.. wash repeat ?

Sounds like a battle report from a solo game. 10 tie fighter cards counts as 5 "players", but you're controlling them all as a single player. The imperial officer vs pilot bit is just roleplaying- more power to you, but I have to write the core "fluff" with HotAC groups in mind.

What about "Predators of the Aturi Cluster then?

Or Imperial Heroes of the Aturi Cluster? "IHOTAC" That actually puts a directly spin on the heores name.

Also got a mission to propose, Tomax Bren the new bomber pilot is one reason the Rebels were squashed in the sector according to a few sources, so maybe a bomber escort game/campaign series is in order. He and his"Scimitar Wing, also known as "White Death" forced the Rebels out of the Hook Nebula.

Its original source is in a rpg book I have, and also quickly mentioned here on his wookiepedia entry: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tomax_Bren

It would make sense that the missions would be rooting out a Rebel Base in the nebula and using the nebula terrain. Maybe the Rebels would have to escort a transport out of the nebula to escape. And a game where the Rebels do not use Flee AI at all, sicne they are trying to buy time for the transports.

What about "Predators of the Aturi Cluster then?

Or Imperial Heroes of the Aturi Cluster? "IHOTAC" That actually puts a directly spin on the heores name.

Also got a mission to propose, Tomax Bren the new bomber pilot is one reason the Rebels were squashed in the sector according to a few sources, so maybe a bomber escort game/campaign series is in order. He and his"Scimitar Wing, also known as "White Death" forced the Rebels out of the Hook Nebula.

Its original source is in a rpg book I have, and also quickly mentioned here on his wookiepedia entry: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tomax_Bren

It would make sense that the missions would be rooting out a Rebel Base in the nebula and using the nebula terrain. Maybe the Rebels would have to escort a transport out of the nebula to escape. And a game where the Rebels do not use Flee AI at all, sicne they are trying to buy time for the transports.

Predators is possible, and if HotAC: Hunters is too confusing I may fall back on PotAC, but I do like Hunters more.

As the the mission, I think it sounds like an entirely reasonable. Escort Tomax Bren's punisher(s) to blow up corellian corvettes, rebel bases and transports and the like- the missions would use an escape edge, as the rebels will be trying to kill the bombers, not your mothership, which would add some variety to the mission lineup.

Tomax was a BOMBER pilot (and is one in the game now), not a Punisher pilot...and designed the fast Scimitar Assault Bomber, I'm pretty sure he wouldnt be caught dead in a Punisher, aka Interdictor (airspeeder).

But yeah taking on a Corvette could be interesting.

Updated the mission control entry for Final exam, with the updated spawn chart and Strike Target rules. These rules and the new AI have been posted in this thread's OP.

I would be happy to host a playtest campaign on Vassal, mission design, elite rebel pilots, or assist with polish, whatever you need.

Do you know the Mission Control software? I cant figure out how to scroll the ship or token lists, which is preventing me from having anything other than a Shuttle, CR90 large ship, and 4 types of asteroids in the visible map.

Elite rebel pilots, we can pretty much take our max level HotAC builds and take a hard look at converting them to AI control.

will be play testing this weekend