Twirling Aces #7: Rampage of the Sun Serpents
by Jeff Buchmiller, Twirling Aces moderator
Base document date: October 9, 2000
Last updated: February 7, 2001. Changes are marked in orange.
===== Intro
Oh great, some GP (great power) is playing games again. Your ship, which is
yet to encounter anything that compares in power to it, is suddenly yanked from
its cozy position within your fleet, and you find yourself in a huge enclosed
arena with several other ships that appear to be nearly as powerful as your own.
And to top it off, two tremendous sun serpents are screeching and clearly
looking for a meal, with no sun in sight. Yikes! Your plasma conduits will
be attracting a lot of attention. With or without help, you'll have to fight
the sun serpents. And, who are these other admirals, anyway?...
===== Overview of Sections in This Document
* Introduction
* Overview of Sections in This Document
* Teams
* Victory
* Ships
* Set up
* Sun Serpents
* Logistics
* Rules
* Twirling Aces Battle Points
* Previous Issues in Orders
* Links to EA and Orders forms
===== Teams
Each player is on his or her own. Players may team up, make agreements, break
promises, trick each other, etc. Emails among the players are considered
communications among the starship captains. Broadcast to all or keep them
private, as you deem appropriate.
The monsters' behavior is controlled by fixed rules and dice rolls. They
are not official sun snakes, but they are similar to those.
===== Victory
The primary objective is to impart damage on the two sun serpents.
Each player's score is the total number of damage points he does to the sun
serpents, using any of his equipment. Captured equipment belongs to the
capturing player from that point on.
The scenario ends when any of these occur:
* The sun serpents are both killed and one ship has done the most damage.
* The remaining damage points of the sun serpents are not enough to
change the winner, and nobody wants to continue.
* All but one ship is destroyed among the tied-for-the-lead ships.
Whenever two ships have the same score, the one which is destroyed first
loses between those two. It's possible for a duel to the death to arise
with a tied score after the monsters are killed. Note that allegiances may
determine the outcome then, especially.
Any ship or unit may attack other ships and units as allowed by normal
rules. No unit is considered friendly for friendly-fire restrictions.
It does not matter if the player's ship is destroyed for victory purposes,
except for the tiebreaker.
===== Ships
The intent is for dreadnoughts to be used, but one is not required. Each
player must choose a single ship of size class 4 or larger. Smaller units
are allowed in addition to the ship. Some heavy battlecruisers are
attractive, too.
Each player has a hard 240 BPV limit. Any of those points not spent on the
ship itself may be taken as commander's options and auxiliary small units.
If a player spends almost all the BPV on the ship, he will have very few
commander's options. The normal 20% of BPV rule for commander's options
does not apply in this scenario at all.
The moderator must validate selections before play begins.
ADB module-published ships are allowed, including simulator races,
unique ships, and conjectural ships, of any year. Whenever any
unusual ships & rules are encountered, we'll make sure everyone
involved is educated before the battle is fought. If something outrageous
just isn't feasible, then please just choose other ships.
There is no specific year for the battle. Equipment of all years is
available, in any otherwise valid combination.
All drones are type-I (or VI) slow speed for the basic BPV, as always.
Upgrades may be purchased from there.
Any WBP's desired must be purchased for 1 BPV each. The normal load is
1 WBP per admin shuttle and 3 WBP per fighter, but fewer than or more than
that may be purchased.
Some possible ships are listed, to select from and to see what you might
be up against (don't forget that drone upgrades can get expensive).
I since found out that R7 has many more dreadnought-sized ships, but most
don't look that enticing to me for the BPV, compared to the regular
dreadnoughts. I think I'm missing something still like power curve/speed.
There is a comment in the prose that the light dreadnoughts are intended to
and are able to hunt down enemy cruisers effectively.
ship BPV rule# weapons & notes
--------- --- ----- ------------------------------------------------------------
Fed DN+w 211 2.17 6*phot,drn,12*ph-1,awr-refit
Kli C9k 214 3.2 6*disr,4*drn,8*ph-1,4*ph-2,Y175-refit
Kli C8 219 3.3 6*disr,6*drn,2*ph-1,10*ph-2,4*ph-3,Y175-refit
Rom CON 234 4.6 pl-r,2*pl-s,9*ph-1,cloak
Rom KH-A 219 4.37 pl-r,2*pl-s,2*pl-f,7*ph-1,4*ph-3,cloak
Rom SUN 235 4.82 2*pl-s,2*pl-f,7*ph-1,4*ph-3,4*G-III(pl-f,ph-3),cloak
Rom KCR 215 4.84 2*pl-s,2*pl-f,3*pl-d,10*ph-1,2*ph-3,cloak
Kzi DN 225 5.42 6*disr,6*drn,3*add,7*ph-1,13*ph-3
Kzi BCH 180 5.43 4*disr,5*drn,9*ph-1,7*ph-3
Gor DNF 229 6.11 pl-r,2*pl-s,2*pl-f,10*ph-1,2*ph-3
Tho DPW 208 7.69 4*disr,2*phot,2*wc,10*ph-1,10*ph-3
Tho NDN 240 7.62 4*disr,3*wc,9*ph-1,6*ph-3
Ori BCH 210 8.17 4*opt,2*drn,6*ph-1,6*ph-3,cloak
Hyd PAL+ 230 9.4 4*fus,4*hb,8*ph-1,2*ph-g,3*ST-II(2*fus,ph-g)
Hyd OV 230 9.43 3*fus,4*hb,7*ph-1,2*ph-g,4*ST-II(2*fus,ph-g),ST-H(hb,ph-g)
And EXP 192 10.38 4*tr-h,2*disdev,8*ph-2
Lyr DN+p 227 11.2 6*disr,4*esg,10*ph-1,4*ph-3
Lyr STT 230 11.21 mauler,2*esg,4*ph-1,4*ph-3,3*INT(disr,2*ph-2,2*ph-3)
Wyn AxBCS 216 12.17 6*opt,8*drn,4*ph-1,3*ph-3,huge-shields
ISC CC 220 13.5 2*ppd,2*pl-s,6*pl-f,8*ph-1,6*ph-3
LDR BCp 220 14.2 6*disr,4*esg,10*ph-1,2*ph-g,powerpack
Sel DN 230 15.2 3*wb,6*pc,12*ph-1,4*ph-3
Fed DNL 240 2.91 5*phot,3*drn,10*ph-1,2*ph-3,all-slow-drones
Kli C5k 224 3.104 5*disr,4*drn,10*ph-1,4*ph-3,Y175-refit
Rom SHR 232 4.93 pl-r,pl-s,2*pl-f,7*ph-1,2*ph-3,cloak
Rom MGH 230 4.100 pl-r,2*pl-s,2*pl-f,7*ph-1,4*ph-3,cloak
Kzi DNL 218 5.73 4*disr,6*drn,7*ph-1,9*ph-3,Y175-refit
Gor DNL 214 6.62 2*pl-s,2*pl-f,10*ph-1,2*ph-3
Gor DNT 235 6.64 2*pl-r,3*pl-f,8*ph-1,2*ph-3
Tho DH 233 7.44 8*disr,2*wc,11*ph-1,12*ph-3
Hyd REG 234 9.81 6*fus,4*hb,10*ph-1,2*ph-g,2*ST-II(2*fus,ph-g)
Lyr DNH 234 11.62 6*disr,4*esg,14*ph-1,2*ph-3,refund-mechlinks
Wyn DN 240 12.41 6*disr,2*opt,4*drn,10*ph-1,7*ph-3
ISC DNE 226 13.56 4*pl-g,10*ph-1
Sel NST 225 15.26 2*wb,4*pc,3*sen,14*ph-1,4*ph-3,tons-of-internals
===== Set up
The map is a standard tournament map, complete with wall around it.
Any ship attempting to leave the map impacts on the wall, takes
5 points of damage to the facing shield, and changes to speed 0
immediately. Any seeking weapon or shuttle that impacts the wall
takes 5 points of damage (as phaser damage for plasma torps), does not
move that impulse (that "ghost" movement counts for purposes of turn
mode), but it does not change speed to 0, as a ship does. If a
tractored unit impacts the wall, the tractor link is broken, also.
The wall affects an ESG sphere as if the wall were web: No effect to
the ESG and the ESG has no effect in or through wall hexes.
The ships are randomly spread out around the perimeter of the map,
once the roster is completed. The more ships there are, the more crowded
it will be. Each ship starts facing the center of the map.
Each ship starts at weapon status III:
* Phasers are energized and capacitors are fully charged.
* Batteries, ESG capacitors (within G23.23 limits), and other energy-storing
systems are charged.
* Multi-turn arming weapons, which does NOT include disruptors or fusion
beams, may be fully armed, but any holding energy must be paid on turn
1. Weapons which cannot be held (e.g. plasma-R) do NOT have their
last turn of arming completed. No overload energy is "free."
* Two shuttles may be prepared for special roles (SP, SS, WW).
* All fighters may be fully armed. Up to 4 fighters may be deployed on
the map within 2 hexes, with carrier's speed on turn 0 <= max speed of
deployed fighter(s), and with same facing as the ship. For launch
delay and weapon usage purposes, turn 0 impulse 28 is the launch impulse.
* Formal PF tenders may pre-deploy 2 PF's (as for fighters above).
* Up to 1 full turn's output of drones may be deployed on the map within
4 hexes, with same facing as the ship. For launch delay and weapon usage
purposes, turn 0 impulse 28 is the launch impulse. These statements
replace those in the official rule, for clarity's sake.
A legendary navigator's benefit of altering starting location works as follows
for this scenario. Announced simultaneously with pre-deployed units will be
modified starting locations for ships with legendary navigators. Instead of
being able to "slide" up to 20 hexes, the ship can only slide up to 5 hexes,
but this may be in any direction, including away from the edge of the map.
The legendary navigator's benefit is then still present, but it doesn't allow
you to sit on top of an opponent.
===== Sun Serpents
The two sun serpents start in the center of the map, very hungry and
upset, each facing in a random direction.
Each sun serpent always moves at speed 8 and has turn mode 1. It can HET
but only when scheduled to move. The HET consumes the movement.
A sun serpent HET's to a random direction if it is already in the same hex
as its current target, and it then chomps on the target for 2-12 (2d6)
normally determined internals (ignoring shields and PA panels, but not
ignoring armor) during the seeking weapons damage resolution step.
Each sun serpent pursues the closest available ship of size class 4 or
larger, considering the number of its movements it would take to reach the
ships' current positions. Note that it therefore slightly prefers targets
in front of it. Any tie among sun serpents or their targets is broken with
a die roll. Once a target is chosen, the target is not changed until another
available target is closer. When another available target is at the same
distance from the monster, the target is not switched. A sun serpent will
not accept as a target the other sun serpent's target, unless there is no
other possible target. If no targets of the appropriate size are present,
units of the next smaller size class become eligible as targets. A chomp
only prevents hunger damage that turn if all of that chomp's damage is
actually scored as internals/damage points.
Each sun serpent can take 500 points of damage before dying.
A sun serpent takes 25 points of damage from hunger at the end of each
turn in which it does not chomp on any target.
A sun serpent attacks with plasma breath every ship of size class 5 or
larger within 5 hexes. It can only attack with plasma breath a given ship
once per turn, and there is an 8-impulse delay for attacking the same ship
with another plasma breath. It will attack each ship as soon as possible.
It can attack with plasma breaths any number of ships in an impulse.
The damage done by a sun serpent's plasma breath does not vary with range.
There is no to-hit roll. Simply roll a die once and look up the damage:
1 -> 30
2 -> 25
3 -> 20
4 -> 15
5 -> 10
6 -> 5
For every full unit of 100 damage points the monster has taken, 1 is
added to the die roll. Damage done to the monster simultaneous to any of
its attacks does not reduce that attack's damage.
The damage reduction due to the monster's weakening does not apply to
chomping. Chomping and plasma breath attacks do not interfere with each
other.
The sun serpents use MCIDS.
There is no need to collect scientific info about the sun serpents. Just
kill them.
===== Logistics
One version of this file inadvertantly said we would use 4-impulse
segments every half-week. Sorry, that was an old draft. We are using
8-impulse segments every week.
If you're interested, email the moderator to join. As time goes on,
players may drop out, and replacement players are welcome to fly those
ships.
All players send text-based forms to the moderator with orders on a
frequent basis. The moderator sends out results, positions, damage
summaries, etc. as soon as is feasible after receiving all orders.
Deadlines are enforced as the normal procedure.
Each segment of orders covers 8 impulses. THIS IS IMPORTANT to think
about! If you haven't played in such scenarios before, then stop to
consider that you do not get a chance to react to launched seeking
weapons, downed shields, t-bomb placement, etc. outside of the orders
you write. You may provide conditional orders each segment, such as
"Fire PH3#1 and PH3#2 at any enemy unit that reaches range 1 to me."
The normal definition of "range" when not otherwise specified is
effective range. So a cloaked target will be treated as being farther
away than true range for direct fire triggers, etc.
There is a similar segment for EA forms each turn. Include everything
in the sequence of play prior to the start of impulse 1.
It is hoped that one of these segments can be played each week.
We played ACES 1, a similar scenario, with 8-impulse segments once a
week successfully. The due dates will be Saturdays, at
6 pm Central US time, to start with. These may change later. Don't
be shy about sending orders early. If you think of something to
change, you can resubmit them before the deadline, and the moderator
may catch a problem and be able to give you a chance to correct it.
This scenario should take many months. If you're not able to stick
with it for months, please don't even start.
If a player does not submit orders for a segment, his ship will fly
straight ahead, firing PH3's within range 2, PH2's within range 3,and
PH1's within range 5 at the most attractive target, which will be anything
that could damage this ship or its units, ordered by attacking a sun
serpent if possible, then by feasibility of avoiding the most damage, and
stopping short of wasting shots. ADD's will similarly fire at
appropriate targets within range bracket 1 to 3, and they take
precedence over firing phasers at such targets. If it makes sense to
fire phasers at the target, the ADD will not also fire at it. Shields
will be raised as soon and as far as possible. Drones, heavy weapons,
and other systems will sit in the same state, which is often idle but
could be an established tractor link, etc. Movement will be to
seek the most open space possible, considering increasing ranges until
enemy units are at such a range (plus consider that range+1 and that
range+2 at this time), then seeking to avoid those enemy units at those
3 ranges. The wall will be hit only to avoid going to range 0 or 1
with an enemy unit. Default EA will be to arm weapons, continue any
arming and repairs started previously, full shields, fill batteries,
and fastest speed possible. Leftovers to random uses on the EA.
Do NOT send a stream-of-consciousness mess as orders. Do NOT send a
message that says, "Oh yeah, one more thing... change the firing
sequence in that one part of my orders I sent already to one impulse
later, but only the PH3's." Instead, send a complete, updated orders file.
If a broken email server, illness, vacation, or other circumstance
exists, then speak up, as the moderator and other players will almost
always be reasonable about such things. Speaking up instead of just
not responding for weeks really helps keep everybody happy & satisfied.
Include any ongoing orders in EACH segment's orders. The moderator
cannot afford the time to reconstruct vague references to previous
orders. Experience shows that inevitably, some of the old orders
and some of the new orders conflict with each other, anyway, so we
just avoid it.
We could use http://www.irony.com for die rolls. The results are
email'd to everyone involved. Usually, we don't in the interest of
saving the hassle. If a really important roll is about to be made, a
player can request the service be used. However, I'm not about to cheat
in any way, and waste all of our time. Ask the other players in my
scenarios if you need some reassurance.
As standard gaming netiquette, please always include
"SFB ACES 7: " in the subject line of
your emails.
If you disagree with an action or result, please bring the issue to
the moderator's attention promptly. It is the moderator's
responsibility to be reasonable, fair, and thorough, but also to keep
the game fun and moving along. If a dispute over an interpretation
of the rules and/or of orders arises, the moderator will make a
decision as promptly and fairly as is possible, and play will
continue with that precedent applied consistently for the remainder
of the game. We use PUBLISHED rules, with the PUBLISHED errata file.
No "Star Letter #98" tricks, and no "SVC/SPP said this is changed now."
Declare your speed plot for the turn along with EA. Default is a
constant speed for the turn. Declare repairs, guards, and deck crew
actions in EA, also! Many players forget, and it usually starts with
turn 2 EA.
It is fine to use "if...then..." conditions for movement and systems.
You'll notice that if someone wanted to get crazy, they could. As long
as it's clear, that's fine. Use pseudo-code, if you prefer. But if
it's not clear, the moderator has no choice but to try to match the
orders as closely as he can, maybe not achieving optimal results for
you. This is a big difference (can be considered good or bad,
depending on what you like) between face-to-face and PBEM. Giving
concise and clear orders is a great leadership skill. I hope we're
all accidentally improving ourselves as we play. :^)
Decide your priorities of system boxes for damage, and list them in
orders for any questionable situation. The default is to destroy
weaker systems first, systems already used before others, etc. in
the player's best apparant interest.
You can always give deterministic orders per impulse, which would
ensure you get done what you order. "Chase the enemy and fire when
close" leaves way too much leeway. The best is to be as clear and
concise as possible. The crew and computers of your ship will carry
out your orders as precisely as you specify them. The moderator
will NOT fly your ship for you (in an effective manner, at least!).
It's no coincidence that the players who consistently provide good
orders are the ones who win most often, whatever their tactical
expertise may be.
Starting out with a description of your intent can be very helpful.
If you say, "I am doing whatever I can to kill the Fed ship A," then
that can take care of ambiguities through the segment.
It is often a good idea to include "safety net" clauses, such as,
"Fire an OL-PHOTON at ship X if on the next impulse, X can leave its
firing arc or the range to X can increase beyond 8."
Using an impulse-by-impulse, step-by-step format is not required for
orders, but experience shows that doing so makes it much more difficult
for you to overlook opportunities and dangers.
You don't need to write a dissertation, listing every possible
combination of events. You'll likely miss some possibilities, if you
try that approach. It's been demonstrated several times to be true.
We're all improving by experience. If you come up with any
suggestions to improve how we play, please speak up.
If someone discovers a mistake that isn't catastrophic for the scenario
that was made farther in the past than the previous segment, then we'll
let is stand.
Because you submit orders for 8 impulses at a time, there will be some
situations in which an opportunity slides right by, you're surprised
by a Suicide Shuttle, etc. It's the same for everyone. Not only does
grouping impulses together speed up the game, but it also allows each
of us to put whatever amount of effort each of us enjoys into playing
the game. And I'm sure there will be at least one week for each of us
where there's only time to submit obvious orders and let all the little
possibilities play themselves out.
===== Rules
Rules are the official Captain's edition, with ADB-published
errata (http://www.task-force-games.com/sfu/sfb/errata/erratoc.html
and http://www.task-force-games.com/sfu/sfb/errata/Errata.txt), and
these scenario rules.
The publishers of Star Fleet Battles, Amarillo Design Bureau, sometimes
issue updated rules via email, website, newsgroup, word-of-mouth, etc.
These are NOT used in this scenario, as they are too hard to verify for
all players. If any are to be used, they are included in this file of
scenario rules.
Generally, the rules are in the Basic Rulebook, Advanced Rulebook,
Modules C1, C2, C3, C4, J, K, M, R1-R6, and R7. Rules in other
modules including Omega Sector and experimental P modules are
generally excluded.
All sub-rules of stated rules are implied, with some listed as included
to emphasize them.
A Intro
B How to Play
C Movement
- excluding C1.32-C1.33 Pre-Plotted Movement
- excluding C2.3 Deceleration Due to Damage
- excluding C3.8 Directed Turn Modes
D Combat
- excluding D3.6 Leaky Shields
+ including D6.3 Electronic Warfare
- excluding D8.0 and D24.0 Critical Hits
- excluding D15.0 Ground Combat
- excluding D16.0 Advanced Boarding Party Combat
- excluding D17.0 Tactical Intelligence
+ including D17.9 Tactical Intelligence levels A-K are known
- excluding D20.0 Hidden Deployment
- excluding D21.0 Catastrophic Damage
- excluding D22.0 Energy Balance Due to Damage
+ including D23.0 Shock Effects
E Direct Fire Weapons
+ including E5.0 MCIDS
F Seeking Weapons
FD Drones
+ including FD2.22, FD10-FD16 Drone Improvements & Construction (all
must be paid for; basic BPV ratings assume type-I (or VI) slow
drones; any combination of speeds is allowed; restricted/limited
rules apply; reloads are proportional, as per the rules)
FP Plasma
G Ship Systems
- excluding G13.6 Hidden Cloaked Units
- excluding G21.0 Crew Quality
+ including G22.0 Legendary Officers other than Legendary Captain (this
scenario should be the place to create one, I'd think!)
+ including G24.0 Scout Functions (note that combat BPV is less than
economic BPV when a scout is deployed alone)
+ including G27.0 Romulan Cloak Decoy (maximum of one)
H Power
J Shuttles
+ including J4.9 Fighter EW
+ including J5.0 Warp Booster Packs
- excluding J6.0 Fighter Pilot Quality
- excluding J7.0 Dogfighting (use J4.51 instead)
+ including J8.0 Multi-Role Shuttles (J8.51 availability)
+ including J9.0 SWAC Shuttles (J9.31 availability)
- excluding J11.0 Fighter Pods
- excluding J13.0 Casual Bases
K Fast Patrol Ships (PF)
- excluding K6.0 PF Engine Degradation
- excluding K7.0 Death Riders
- excluding K8.0 PF Crew Quality
M Mines
+ including M2.6 Secret Placement (other than t-bombs)
- excluding M4.4 Captor Mines
- excluding M4.5 Sensor Mines
- excluding M5.0 Types of Mine Control Systems
- excluding M6.0 Minefields
P Terrain
- excluding all terrain types
R Races, Units (see list of modules above)
S Scenarios
X Improved Technology
- excluding all Improved Technology
If you purchase one T-bomb, you get one Dummy T-bomb with it. T-bombs
shown on an SSD are not present unless purchased, as per the rules.
Those boxes are the capacities for the ship to carry T-bombs.
Instead of holding Tractor Auctions back and forth, state how much power
you are willing to spend (for positive or negative tractor in each
circumstance), then you'll actually spend the minimum required to win
(or you'll spend it all and lose). For auctions held during EA, please
indicate where any unused tractor energy should go.
Please note what weapons (if any) are to be used in defense, what
threats will trigger their use, how many will be triggered in each
case, and in which order they're to be used.
Declare to the moderator the target of a SW (drone, plasma torpedo,
seeking shuttle) when it is launched.
The default damage trigger for a Scatter Pack is 1, the default trigger
range is "maximum", and the default time delay is "minimum".
Maximum speed is limited by the lowest speed you traveled in the
last 32 impulses... +10 (+5 or +15 for some) or x2 (x3 for some),
whichever is higher, is your maximum. No speed changes before impulse
4 or after impulse 28, or within 8 impulses of another speed change
(unless nimble, then 6 impulses).
The maximum speed of a ship at any point in a turn is determined by
its available warp engine and impulse engine energy at the start of a
turn (unless using D22.0 Energy Balance Due to Damage, but we're not).
A mid-turn speed change cannot enable a ship to exceed its maximum
speed even during part of a turn. If a ship's maximum speed is 17
because it has 8 warp and 1 impulse, and a movement cost of 0.5, it
cannot move faster than 17 during any portion of the turn (such as 19
for a while then 15 for a while). If some warp or impulse energy is
being used for another purpose, then the maximum speed is reduced
accordingly.
While a unit is EM'ing, it cannot launch anything and it cannot
guide seeking weapons. There are 4 ECM for the ship, but also 4 NECM
("negative" ECM) applied to systems the ship itself uses, also.
Erratic Maneuvering increases Turn Mode by one, unless the unit is
nimble. Shuttles and PFs are nimble.
A cloaking device, if powered, can be turned on once during a turn,
and it can be turned off once during a turn, in any combination.
Decide whether to arm a photon torpedo with a proximity fuse during
energy allocation of the second (or any subsequent, if held) turn of
arming.
Hold (with 1 point of energy) an armed SS or roll (with 1 point of
energy) a charged WW, during EA. Otherwise, previous energy is lost.
A seeking weapon must move straight forward on its first movement
after launch, unless it HET's. (It cannot turn or sideslip.)
The ships' DAMCON rating is the number of Continuous Damage Repair
repair points generated each turn, and it is also the total number of
boxes that may be repaired with the CDR procedure during the battle.
Only ONE system box may be accumulating CDR points at any time, but
another may be started on the same turn that one is completed.
Normally, the only way to tell a real vs. pseudo plasma torpedo is
to let it impact.
Effects of being crippled (S2.4) (50% of internals destroyed, other
conditions): can fire probe as weapon, can use emer life support,
loss of nimble status, loss of HET bonus(es)
Effects of being uncontrolled (G2.0) (all control spaces destroyed):
turn mode class one higher, no HET, no Quick Reverse, no
mid-turn speed changes, no EM, no Emer Decel, impulse 1-16
tacs lost, fire/launch at only one target in one impulse per
turn, half drone control ability, no tractor, no lab id, no
ECCM, no WW launch, no scout functions, no mine functions, no
Aegis, no UIM, no DERFACS, no SFG, no DisDev, no Flywheel
===== Twirling Aces Battle Points
There is a points system that emcompasses all Twirling Aces
scenarios, known as Twirling Aces Battle Points. I need to dig up the
records and see what the running totals are.
Basically, Twirling Aces battle points are good for 2 things: a sense
of accomplishment, and potentially seeding players for future
scenarios. They do not directly affect ACES 7 at all.
An individual can earn Twirling Aces battle points by damaging enemy
ships singlehandedly in any ACES scenario. Approximately crippling a
destroyer or finishing one off from the point of crippling earns 0.5
point. Shield damage does not count. Also, anyone who actually
participates in a battle earns one point. Points will be awarded for
scoring damage to monsters, as well.
===== Previous Issues in Orders
The following are some issues with orders we've had in the past, and
how I've tried to resolve them fairly. I really want to keep everyone
happy... that's a struggle between being forgiving on orders
problems, so that PBEM doesn't ruin the game, and *not* being
forgiving, so that whoever didn't have orders problems doesn't get
disadvantaged. If you have suggestions, or enhancements to the
following, I'm listening. The best thing anybody can do is to provide
clear & concise orders consistenly every segment. Send them early, if
necessary because of your schedule.
Movement:
* maximum speed due to warp restrictions (C12.38) exceeded
-- reduce to maximum speed, then resolve energy balance as below
* incorrect calculation of speed cost for intended speed plot (C12.21)
-- increase/decrease speed at least critical time range of turn,
or resolve energy balance as below, if it's clear that the speed
plot is more important than another use of the energy
* lacking a speed plot
-- constant speed
* failing to pay EM energy in EA when EM announced impulse 32 of
previous turn
-- pay EM energy in EA, resolving energy balance as below
* failing to pay braking energy
-- attempt quick reverse
Energy:
* total energy spent exceeds total available
-- take energy from items that seem to have least priority in orders
* for any energy imbalance in general, use these priorities:
-- (results vary, depending on power curve & systems of ship)
-- life support, normal shields/reinf panels, AFC
-- arm multi-turn arming heavy weapons that previously commenced cycle
-- charge phaser capacitors
-- maximum reserve energy
-- move at most recent speed, retaining EM/no-EM
-- arm other heavy weapons
-- faster movement, if legal
-- leftovers into general reinforcement
Weapons:
* firing with no chance to hit, due to ECM, for example
-- fire, as ordered, since it doesn't break any rule
* firing when out of firing arc
-- delay firing until legal, unless obviously not desired at the
later time by another order
* not firing when moderator thinks it would be good to fire
-- don't fire, as ordered, since it doesn't break any rule
* firing at other than optimal range
-- fire, as ordered, since it doesn't break any rule
* "fire weapons when in range"
-- fire all possible weapons as soon as possible
Launches/Systems:
* launching a shuttle or seeking weapon while performing EM or
otherwise illegal
-- delay launch until legal, unless obviously not desired at the
later time by another order
* not launching WW when moderator thinks it would be good to do so
-- don't launch, as ordered, since it doesn't break any rule
* 8-impulse delay before next use or one use per turn violated
-- delay use of system/weapon until legal, unless obviously not
desired at the later time by another order
Rules:
* player attempts to break a rule
-- if for the current segment, moderator corrects actions, achieving
desired result if possible in another obvious, standard manner
-- if for an older segment, leave it, unless devastating to scenario
* moderator attempts to break a rule
-- if for the most recent segment, correct it, re-evaluating
everyone's conditional orders
-- if for an older segment, leave it, unless devastating to scenario
===== Links to forms, etc
Blank Energy Allocation Form
Blank Segment Orders Form
Automaton ship B's orders (password-protected .xls)
ON-LINE Energy Allocation Form
ON-LINE Segment Orders Form
the Twirling Aces moderator Jeff Buchmiller at jlb@edsr.eds.com
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