[stuart133]

I'm in the (very) early stages of converting a set of starship combat rules to fit the freespace universe. This is a labour of love for me, I would love to see this system applied to the freespace universe.
The reason for this topic is to see how many people are interested in this, perhaps providing advice, ideas and maybe some help.
Obviously the game can never be published but it could work like the Freespace card game. (Maybe??)
Anyway if no one is interested I'll just keep it too myself but otherwise it could turn out quite nicely. Also there is the possibility of something like this.

[Blue Lion]

What format of board game were you looking at?

[stuart133]

The rules i'm converting are http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2106, though if people are more interested in the tactics than overall strategy then something more like this or this.

[Thaeris]

Sounds really cool. Now, if you could cast miniatures for this in a fashion similar to Battletech/BFG/Epic 40K, that would be beyond awesome. 

[stuart133]

Sounds really cool. Now, if you could cast miniatures for this in a fashion similar to Battletech/BFG/Epic 40K, that would be beyond awesome. 

Cheers.
Hmmm, I know a few people who could do some casts maybe, not sure on that one. Also which of the two formats would people like to see:
The tactical one: This will have induvidual plans for each ship, complicated damage and movement (no 3d though, at this level it hurts my brain!!)
The strategic one: Ships have generalised attack values for different weapons, simple combat, but you have to worry about economies, supply and rebuilding of ships.

[Titan]

I prefer tactical. Strategy is more of something to get in the way of combat for me. 

[Thaeris]

I... suppose you could write two different but compatible sets of rules...

(a.) Strategic would apply to capships and fighters/bombers being sent to engage capships.

(b.) Tactical would work for fighters vs. other small craft. You might have a map to the side of the main table which you'd use for squad dogfights.

I don't know if that would be feasible... can't see why it wouldn't be, though. In truth, I've never really played games like Battletech, but I've always been interested and have enjoyed reading about them.

[Blue Lion]

Freespace Risk? Freespace Stratego?

[Thaeris]

Freespace Risk? Freespace Stratego?

Frisk?

Freetego?

 

Not Risk, though. SO much more based on luck than strategy... blegh.

[Colonol Dekker]

Phase based. Capital movement. Deployment(fighter launch),capital attack, fighter move, fighter attack.
 
Repeat.

[Akalabeth Angel]

I've mentioned this before but I have converted Freespace to a game called Babylon 5 Wars. A tactical starship combat game though it's probably an order of magnitude more complicated than what you're striving for.

Rules: http://www.richbax.com/Advent%20Of%20Galactic%20War_RevA.pdf
Conversions: http://knossos.firenebula.com/navigate.html

[Blue Lion]

Don't ruin his dream.

[Akalabeth Angel]

Don't ruin his dream.

No reason you can't have multiple conversions for Freespace. Star Wars and Star Trek have been converted to everything under the sun, why not FS? Babylon 5 Wars is not a game that appeals to everyone that's for sure.

[stuart133]

Looking at the response I think that a tactical system will be best. I would like to make it fairly detailed but have it focused more on fighters than any current space game I've played.

[Scotty]

I would flip out at FreeSpace BattleTech.  My two favorite games, finally combined.

[/drool]

[Akalabeth Angel]

Looking at the response I think that a tactical system will be best. I would like to make it fairly detailed but have it focused more on fighters than any current space game I've played.

I'm not sure if you intend to create the game from scratch or base it upon another game system. I know the former is probably a huge undertaking. The only boardgame still in circulation that I'm aware of that concentrates on fighter combat is Silent Death. Might be something to look into: http://www.star-ranger.com/SilentDeath.htm

[stuart133]

I'm not sure if you intend to create the game from scratch or base it upon another game system. I know the former is probably a huge undertaking. The only boardgame still in circulation that I'm aware of that concentrates on fighter combat is Silent Death. Might be something to look into: http://www.star-ranger.com/SilentDeath.htm

Yeah, that looks like a good starting point, although I'm not too sure about spending $50 plus p&p on a game I probably won't end up playing that much. I do have several game systems which I am slowly going through looking for features to implement. But I do have a lot of ideas on how to build the system.
Also while I'm on the topic at some point I will probably need some help play testing the rules.

[mxlm]

I would flip out at FreeSpace BattleTech.  My two favorite games, finally combined.

[/drool]

I vote for FSCrimson Skies

[stuart133]

I've mentioned this before but I have converted Freespace to a game called Babylon 5 Wars. A tactical starship combat game though it's probably an order of magnitude more complicated than what you're striving for.

Rules: http://www.richbax.com/Advent%20Of%20Galactic%20War_RevA.pdf
Conversions: http://knossos.firenebula.com/navigate.html

Right, I've had a good read through these rules, and I think that what I'm going to do is convert these with some other ideas I had. The main one of these was to try and create a proper dogfight situation in which fighters have to try and get behind their opponent and will have special manoeuvres that allow them to flip around or perform evasive manoeuvres around large ships, maybe at the cost of wing cohesion. Also I'll obviously take out the Newtonian movement system seeing as that is not at all Freespace.

On the other hand if no one here would like to see a game of this complexity then I will try to create a set of fast-play rules.

[stuart133]

Right, just like a bit of feedback on these ideas:
Emphasis is placed on fighter movement. Aim is to get your fighter behind the enemy. Once there dogfight missiles can be used (with no need to track as I have seen in other games). At each stage of movement the fighter has the choice to perform manoeuvres such as hard right turn or flip and reverse to throw off the chasing player. This cost squad cohesion. Once this hits zero the flight must stop and reform (a disaster in combat!!) thought some can be regained by not performing evasive manoeuvres.
Also each hex is 500 metres long (maybe less) so capships take up several hexes. This allows fighters to skin along the top of them and fly around them to try and throw off their opponent.
Oh and another thing about the Ship display cards. I was thinking of having outer systems (weapons ect.) able to be hit straight away but after that a layer of armour (the second hull hinted too in several missions) which needs to be broken through to hit the internal systems (command & control, gunnery command ect.)