Only Warlock | 29 Oct 2015 11:44 a.m. PST |
Messing around with ideas for a minis based VSF Aeronef game. Wessex's Aeronef rules are simply not crunchy enough and the others I have seen are too crunchy. Anyway, this scribble above speaks to the design sensibilities I am considering. |
TheBeast | 29 Oct 2015 12:20 p.m. PST |
Do you have a feeling for what's insufficient in Wessex's game? I know I found altitude a bit thin, and the combat degradation is a bit abstract for my taste unless I've a MESS of ships. I know there have been Full Thrust ports that looked promising, but I haven't tried yet. Doug |
Only Warlock | 29 Oct 2015 12:43 p.m. PST |
The way that the gunnery factored out did not have a granular enough feel for me. I want more tactics of maneuver where ship design is a bit deeper. I've played the Full Thrust variant, But it's Full Thrust and does not have a particularly steampunk feel to it. Something similar in feel to the old Task Force Games' Battlewagon might be closer |
doug redshirt | 29 Oct 2015 12:58 p.m. PST |
I would like something like what is described in the new book by Jim Butcher,"The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut's Windlass." They have everything from privateers, Destroyers, Light and heavy cruisers and Battlecruisers in battles and also mention Battleships. After I read it all I could think about was what a neat idea. |
Only Warlock | 29 Oct 2015 1:09 p.m. PST |
Doug that was what got me thinking about it again. My only quibble with the book was wooden ships. I am looking at Last Exile as an inspiration. |
Rubber Suit Theatre | 29 Oct 2015 1:50 p.m. PST |
Your doodle has more than a bit of a Space Battleship Yamato aesthetic, sort of like the Yamato at Tsushima Straits. Maybe one of the numerous "Star Blazers" games? Last Exile was amazing television, but their tactical picture seemed kind of all over the place, with big Ship of the Line actions, gratuitous pneumatic musketeers dangling outside the armor to die messily while popping away in futility, and vanships buzzing around like cloth biplanes without those inconvenient wings. Oh, and you can only win if the Guild lets you. |
Allen57 | 29 Oct 2015 1:54 p.m. PST |
Add what you want to Aeronef to achieve the crunch level you desire. Also, have you considered upgrading Ironclads and Etherflyers to meet your needs? |
boy wundyr x | 29 Oct 2015 1:58 p.m. PST |
The fellow who did Gruntz has a set of rules coming for aeronef – "Imperial Skies" I think. |
Tony S | 29 Oct 2015 3:08 p.m. PST |
Iron Stars! mj12games.com/ironstars Superb game, but sadly, sadly neglected. Some really clever little rules mechanisms. Brigade Games make a line of miniatures, if I'm not mistaken. I use Aeronef miniatures myself. I found the Aeronef rules a but thin too; Iron Stars is much better. |
Micman | 29 Oct 2015 3:34 p.m. PST |
Yes Robin is supposed to have a kickstarter for his new Aeronef game, starting next week I think. |
platypus01au | 29 Oct 2015 7:14 p.m. PST |
I have to agree with Tony that Iron Stars is a superb game. Porting the gunnery and damage rules to something with more earthbound movement rules would create a great game IMO. One of my players did think the "lightning dischargers" rules were a bit too much of an advantage. Cheers, JohnG |
TheBeast | 29 Oct 2015 7:16 p.m. PST |
@Tony S Are you getting Brigade Games and Brigade Models confused? I know Brigade Models spaceships have been stated up for Starmada, but don't think either did Iron Stars ships. Least, can't find. I have Iron Stars, but haven't played yet. I thought it was sort-of Edwardian space. I thought it was Leviathans beyond the atmosphere. SO many neat rule sets out, I get confused. G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T. and When The Navy Walked both have 'nef games, but tied to their VSF groppo games. Doug |
skippy0001 | 29 Oct 2015 8:58 p.m. PST |
A pre-WW I Battlewagon would be better. Quick, easy and you can do a variety of initiative systems instead of pulse movement. Keep SkyTorp movement simple, machine cannon should be able to have a low chance to gaff them. Ramming is a must. Always adds sheer terror to a game. Ship build systems are problematic, I suggest refits and system swapping. Stick to a simple altitude set of rules. Leviathans boardgame was overwrought. The World you make for them is the thing. Would like to see that. |
Captain Gideon | 29 Oct 2015 10:20 p.m. PST |
For myself I really like AERONEF I have almost 1,000 ships in my collection and have played a few games and I've ran some Aeronef games at local Conventions. As for the rules I like it simple there are rules out there that I can't deal with because they're to complicated and with the help of my friend were trying to add a few other rules to help out. So I ask any of you might you have some rules that would be good for Aeronef and make it a better game? |
TheBeast | 30 Oct 2015 5:38 a.m. PST |
David Manley did his own rules for adding a) altitude b) water ships for articles in Ragnarok. Titles were 'Warlords of the' Skies and Seas. There's a Wayback link on a thread hereabouts. Still fairly simple, but I think adds 'depth'. I tend to like Aeronef, but want to fiddle with it. Sorry, I'm a Full Thrust fan boy. It's in the genes. As for Full Steam(?) not being Steampunk, I'm in the VSF vs Steampunk group, but getting verisimilitude, past a certain point, is my problem, not the rules. ;->= Also, there are rumors, I think confirmed, that there's a new edition coming out. I HOPE still dead simple, with optional chrome. I'se likes me options, I'se do. Doug |
Tony S | 30 Oct 2015 1:20 p.m. PST |
@TheBeast Gah! You're right. I am always getting those two companies confused. It is indeed the UK firm, Brigade Models. And, just for completeness, here's a link to their Ironstars range. link And yes, it is technically Edwardian, but considering we are dealing with Ether ships, I can overlook the anachronism. :) |
Captain Gideon | 30 Oct 2015 2:26 p.m. PST |
Tony as far as I know Aeronef started in the 1850's so you can say that it's the Victorian era and then into the Edwardian era. And I don't think we're dealing with Either ships because the substance is called R-Negative Matter found in meteorites. Michael |
TheBeast | 30 Oct 2015 5:28 p.m. PST |
Dopey moi, Tony S. As I said, I would have been surprised they didn't do Iron Stars, given there was a whole version of Starmada X done up for Brigade Models' ships. Doug |
TheBeast | 02 Nov 2015 10:24 a.m. PST |
And yes, it is technically Edwardian, Okay, weekend is over, head screwed on properly. Oh, like that's gonna happen. I just meant that the ships had 'slipped the surly bonds', including breathable air. Iron Stars are space ships, right? Is there atmospheric fighting? Doug |
Rottenlead | 23 Nov 2015 3:00 a.m. PST |
With regard to Imperial Skies, my core setting in the rules is based around the WWI ground war taking to the skies, so very Edwardian. However it is very open to what players want from it because some of the Brigade models are earlier period style and others more modern. |