Howdy folks. I just finished GMing my second TI3 game: Manifest Destiny. We played a fairly conventional format with two significant changes:
* Improved DNs and Warsuns: DNs get two {5} dice in combat, but lose one if they become damaged. War Suns get the same number of combat dice, but have Sustain Damage 3 and also lose dice as they become damaged. Apart from obviously leading to more DNs on the board, this rule created more interesting combat decisions, since it was no longer an obvious move to damage one's DN before blowing up something else. No consistent tactic emerged, but there was certainly more variety. I'm not sure where this idea originated, but I borrowed it from Baxter's Fundraiser game.
On balance, the players all liked it and I expect we'll continue to play with this rule in future games. I should also note that apart from the Muaat, no one ever fielded any War Suns in our game.
* Wormhole Assaults: Any forces attacking through a wormhole suffer a -1 penalty to all combat rolls during the first turn (including AFB, Assault Cannon, etc.). We've played with this rule in both games and it's been a real hit. This not only gives people fortifying wormholes a narrow edge, but also feels more cinematic as the attacking force pours through the tear in space/time.
I plan to introduce several new elements to the next game, but here's a tech I plan to field test. My aim here was to draw players down less used branches of the technology tree and to offset the uber power of Anti-Fighter Barrage(AFB), while not nerfing its ability.
AFB will be as effective as ever, however, Fleet Tenders will give players A) a reason to keep their CVs alive B) a chance to recover some fighter squadrons after the battle or possibly repair some capital ships. I think this will help balance out the CVs against the new, sexy DNs and make large CV taskforces more interesting.
Any and all comments, thoughts, and criticisms are more than welcome:
Fleet Tender
* Prequisite: Micro-technology
Advances in repair facilities dramatically improve the ability of carriers and spacedocks to effect repairs. The victor of any Space Battle may roll one die for EACH lost fighter, damaged dreadnought, or damaged war sun.
On a 6+ a friendly fighter lost during the battle is recovered. The rolling player must still observe fighter capacity restrictions.
On a 8+ a damaged dreadnought is repaired.
On a 8+ a damaged carrier (Sol only) is repaired.
On a 9+ a damaged war sun is repaired one level.