The last time I gm'd I used 10m for short, 50m for medium and 250m for long. Extreme range was only limited by terrain, but required a forward observer.
I've even managed to simulate a long range engagement by making a line of 5x5 minimaps, with each minimap representing one range band.
saying it's not a simulationist game is a bit of a joke.... its basicly simulation the star wars universe.
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In combat time is relevant.
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Nope and nope.
This is basically a narrative sandbox to tell stories within the star wars universe. Combat time is not relevant because you can sync it easily at the end of each turn. One guy took 60 seconds to slice that door open, while the others did simply fired in that case for the whole minute and kept is back safe.
You can see this as well in how minions are handled. A 'single shot' or better a single combat role can kill a dozen minions. The game system is abstract and implies that within a turn you keep shooting, taking cover, dodging, shooting more, hitting a few guys and maybe getting hit once as well … all in context of a single turn. The narrative synchronize the actions of all involved parties simply at the end of turn and starts the next "cut" in the scene in the next turn.
And now I made a post which really does not helping with solving the mini and range band issues. I guess hex fields should work ok-ish.
It is the single WORST part of the game. It's almost, but not quite, enough to drive me back to D6... it is the big gaping wound.
If you want tactical movement rules, D6 aint the engine for you either. Movement in that game was A) a mess and B) pretty **** wide open.
It is the single WORST part of the game. It's almost, but not quite, enough to drive me back to D6... it is the big gaping wound.
If you want tactical movement rules, D6 aint the engine for you either. Movement in that game was A) a mess and B) pretty **** wide open.
Imperial assault might a nice choice for tactical movement
The measurement system has its quirks.
I am in a position of cover. To my left and right are two groups of stormtroopers. Assume them to be at medium range from me.
According to the rules I can spend a maneuver to change the range band to one of those groups, keeping my relative distance to the other group unchanged.
I do so, to close in on the left group of stormtroopers. To them, I am now at short range, and still at medium range to the other group.
The rules allow me to change the range band again, assuming the stormtrooper groups to stay in their position. I now choose to run past the left group,spending two maneuvers. This puts me from close range into medium range, and then half-way into long range (still counting as medium range for all purposes). So right now I am at "relative" medium range from both groups of stormtroopers. Even though I moved past one of the groups, and moved on and on.
That's when my logic broke.
Without resorting to grids, and entire re-writes of the movement system and ranged combat, we did find a slightly more tactical way of playing more to our liking. A map, a couple of miniatures, and the strange situation above is history. It is clear, that I am at medium range to the left group of stormtroopers, and by now twice or more that distance from the right group of stormtroopers. Eyeballing, or even using a simple tape measure, saves a lot of headache.
As for a re-write of movement, tactical combat, and ranges... If it works for you, please do. I played D&D 3, 4, and now 5. I know how in D20 Saga Edition a character's movement speed wasn't expressed in feet per round, but in actual squares. For all their faults people find in them, such systems were at least clear about the tactical situation.
If it works for you, it works.
I...even without grids it shouldn't be this difficult. If you start at medium from two flanking groups and move toward oneone, then the distance to the other has increased by one band, and doesn't remain medium.
Admittedly, my players get confused about how the relative distance between combatants changes and it the exact reason we use a 4" hex grid to represent range bands...actors don't always run directly toward or away from something, and the grid is RIGHT THERE for them to see, so no one ever asks me "How far away am I/is it?"
There's room for abstract and gridding to compliment each other, and saying grids aren't needed is disregarding players with less than common spacial awareness.
It is the single WORST part of the game. It's almost, but not quite, enough to drive me back to D6... it is the big gaping wound.
If you want tactical movement rules, D6 aint the engine for you either. Movement in that game was A) a mess and B) pretty **** wide open.
2E (big blue book) was pretty concise - real world units, clear vehicle. Obviously you do NOT know it.
. . . and also wildly inconsistent from vehicle to vehicle.
And yes, the D6 vehicle combat was pretty much terrible IF you stuck to the rules. If you freefomed it like FFG does, they would get you by.
(As for never played it? Oh, you're funny.)
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I...even without grids it shouldn't be this difficult. If you start at medium from two flanking groups and move toward oneone, then the distance to the other has increased by one band, and doesn't remain medium.
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Please read the example on EotE page 209, the grey plane at the top of the page, labeled "RELATIVE POSITIONING". It is almost exactly my example, I only added a next step in movement.
Moving towards one group doesn't change the relative distance to the other group at all, according to this example from the book itself. I kidd thee not.
That is, where my logic broke. And it is also where your answer, though constructive in its meaning, also differs from the book, RAW through the example given on page 209.
Your answer is completely logic, and I would accept it for truth any time, if it weren't for this example.
That grey box "RELATIVE POSITIONING" works out fine because the range bands increase in size. If I close enough to get into close range to one group, I am not in long range to the other, because that small distance I moved does not make a difference.
Or in other words, I did spend only one maneuver to get away from one group of stormtroopers, that does not get me into long range, as this would have needed two maneuvers, but it does get me into short range the other group, as this needs only 1 maneuver.
That part is perfectly logical, as range bands increase in size the further out you are. Now it gets a little wonky this makes the long and medium range band basically the same in width and that is silly in context that the next range band is extreme and that's being already the sniper range. To be honest it gets super wonky because they allow you to move much faster there.