"Imperial Skies Kickstarter now live. " Topic

Here is the link for the Kickstarter for Imperial Skies. It is running for 30 days through into December. Any support and links are very much appreciated.

I'm a big Aeronef fan and love the period and Imperial Skies looks pretty good I wish I could donate but most of my Gaming funds have been used for getting English Civil War minis.

Michael

Very tempted. If I do, though, I'd probably use larger displays. I like Aeronef's working out the degradation of systems, rather than keeping a modifier in mind.

By the way, is the degradation with the end of row or damage in the next? In the example, the Britannia could have transferred partial damage, and both could have been unrestricted?

Also, I recognize the trade-off of space, but I find moving on the ruler, then removing to place the ship awkward enough I'd rather have the ruler placed beside the ship.

You mention pillar-to-pillar range measurement; ditto for firing arcs? I noticed the arc template against the firing ships pillar, but I'm only assuming the target's pillar is the target.

Fiddly question: Will the logo on the dice be 'Imperial Skies', the Winged Bomb, the Winged Bomb w/ 'Imperial Skies', or something else? Gets crowed on a die face REAL fast.

Good luck!

Doug

Doug,

All interesting questions. Dice will be a wing with a bomb in the middle, we think at an angle to allow the wings to use the maximum space. I have sent the art over to Tony at Brigade but we have not had prototypes made up yet. So it may be adjusted to get the best image.

Yes firing is also at the flight stand post for arcs. This was born out of many games with Jon Rogers and he has some 6 inch models, so it started to feel like they had a longer range by simply being large and also nearly always in arc because of the size. So design wise I thought I would cater for scratch builders and normal players by keeping it simple. I did try the model based method but simplicity was the final option.

I hear you in regard to movement rulers, on that front I may suggest that players that have a standard base size (the normal flight stands) could move front to back if they like, or beside because it for speed it still results in much the same turn angle (if both players agree).

The degradation is when you fill the box in with the -1, -2 etc rather than the end of the row. I worked out a spacing similar to how I did the critical's in Gruntz. However unlike Gruntz there is no critical, it just directly reduces all guns and the speed by the minus rating in the box. So if you fill in -2 it will be -2 to speed and across the three gun sizes. Again just to keep it simple and after games with various fans of the genre I decided to aim for simplicity.

The max transfer is 4 from one set of incoming fire. However you could transfer 2 and keep 2 on the main target. That might just allow you to avoid going over that minus threshold on either airship being hit. Larger airships have the repair option, a D3 roll (using up a command point) for quick field "putting out of fires" and field fixing. This can also help take an airship back from the edge of destruction or get past one of those threshold points. On the damage transfer point, if the screening smaller airship has only got two hull left, you can only transfer enough to destroy it and can't overload.

We have had many interesting games where both screening and repair have just allowed an airship to hang on in. Hopefully players will find that fun and help to create a bit of a narrative around the game play.

The degradation is when you fill the box in with the -1, -2 etc rather than the end of the row.

Ah, didn't notice the tiny printing in the middle boxes; can't help but think it works out about the same, but it makes the example I mentioned less clear.

However, I'm pretty sure 'one more round' of full speed and guns could be worth the effort of an admiral.

You know, I'm still on the fence, but made the mistake of showing the KS to a friend, and I gather he's already pledged. ;->=

Doug

Pledged!

With that said: will there be any additional stretch goals or add ons? I'm looking to pick up some of Brigades small scale scenery items (thanks to their 15% off holiday sale) but if said terrain was being sold through the campaign I'd be happy for the cash to go towards it. One way or another I'll get the scenery, I just thought it would be nice if the purchase could help bolster the kickstarter.

After thinking about things I might make a pledge since looking at the 2 videos I like many of the things I've seen and heard plus the fact that depending on the range you can hits not just on a 6 but if I understand right 4's and 5's also are hits.

Also I think Imperial Skies deals with things that Aeronef doesn't so this is why I'm thinking of making a pledge.

Plus the fact that I can add to my already large Aeronef ship collection of almost 1,000 ships:)

Michael

I need to watch the videos, but this looks like it will be a must buy for me!

Looks like I'll be making a pledge before the Kickstarter ends.

And Chris the video's do help explain things this was a big reason why I intend to make a pledge.

Michael

Yup. Watched the video. Pledged. Job done!

Great News Chris I'll be doing it very soon.

Michael

I'm in!

"If we hit 4K we will produce another brand new design of battleship for the French Faction the Gauloise-class Battleship.
…
If we hit these targets we will keep pledgers up to date with progress images of the miniatures as they work through design to production."

4054 reached. Time for Tony to do his stuff.

Doug

That's good news Doug I'm very curious as to what the Gauloise Battleship will look like.

I'll be pledging sometime next week.

Michael

I'm still doing the fence sitting thing, but if it keeps up to the point a whole new, ESPECIALLY Spanish, fleet is possible, resistance WILL be futile. ;->=

Doug

Edit: By the way, I see there was a historic battleship Gaulois, Charlemagne class, but I used to SMOKE Gauloise. ;->=

I'll probably go for this, but while we wait, can anyone tell me how does an Aeronef like the ones Brigade sell land ?

Surely it can't land flat, there must be struts, wheels or something. No wrong answers on this, but what do you think /

Guthroth that's a great question and it's something that I never thought of.

And with all the various types of ships and shapes and sizes it's possible that they can't land butanything's possible.

Michael

CG, They must be able to land somehow. Whatever lifting force is used it isn't reasonable to suggest that it is permamently ON, the strain on any system would be too great.

BTW, the question is inspired by my interest in building a small 'Nef in 28mm

I like V&S&F's answer, that 'nefs are built with ships' hulls because they have to land on water. Okay as long as YOUR Mars has canals… ;->=

I tend to envision cradles for work being done on them. I've started (famous last words) building a flying depot for patrol 'nefs, with such a cradle on the upper hull.

"[T]he strain on any system would be too great…" is reasonable, but not absolute; if your 'nefs use liftwood, you'd fly until severely damaged, or just wear out.

It's something I DO think about, but most of the time allow myself to be hypnotized by the handwavium.

Doug

I like V&S&F's answer, that 'nefs are built with ships' hulls because they have to land on water. Okay as long as YOUR Mars has canals… ;->=

I tend to envision cradles for work being done on them. I've started (famous last words) building a flying depot for patrol 'nefs, with such a cradle on the upper hull.

"[T]he strain on any system would be too great…" is reasonable, but not absolute; if your 'nefs use liftwood, you'd fly until severely damaged, or just wear out.

It's something I DO think about, but most of the time allow myself to be hypnotized by the handwavium.

Of course, I don't think we've heard of an aerial flotation mechanism description from Imperial Skies, yet.

Doug

Guthroth what you say makes sense I mean if you recall a certain Japanese ANIME from the 70's called StarBlazers the Yamato eventough being built into a spaceship was able to land in the water as well as go underwater as well but I'm not sure it could land on land.

Now the Gamilons had ships that could land on land and water too and in the 2nd series the EDF could land on the ground as well.

So it does happen.

Michael

In terms of landing I see most aerodromes having multiple pylon style docks, with engine still running they would be re-fueled and pull ordnance/coal etc up through a system of cranes into the large bay's in the underside of the airship. However for dry-dock type repair and engine issues they would need to come down into a cradle, possibly a rolling cradle sat over a couple of steam engines that could be moved into a hangar. There would certainly also be mutli-purpose airships that could land on sea.

I think if it was a forward field aerodrome it would certainly be pylon based and temporary. Bigger docks yards making better use of construction in iron.

One option is floating tenders which dock smaller airships for repair.

Image here of a field aerodrome: flic.kr/p/CaZhHi

But, Robin, still mum on how they actually get up into the sky?

Doug

Doug, yes top secret cycling based contraptions inside, the harder they pedal…. :)

Oh, yes, THAT would never run out of steam.

One option is floating tenders…

You did see I suggested that, though called it a 'depot.' Repair and replenishment.

Well, sort of joined in: had my friend add to his pledge, so increasing the total a bit.

Say nice things to to Tony about getting the Spanish starter fleet created anyway.

Doug

I finally made my pledge for Imperial Skies.

My pledge was for the following:

Rulebook plus Starter Fleet(Russian)
Counter Pack
Ruler Pack
French Battleship
British Dreadnought
German Dreadnought

I'm very pleased to have made my pledge for Imperial Skies and can't wait to look thru the rules.

Michael

A fellow from Sweden, who's been MOST persuasive on this campaign suggested: "Maybe we can still reach the Kaiser-class dreadnought, at least. I'm hesitant to start a thread called "PLEDGE FOR THE KAISER!", though. lol"

And the Kaiser is reached! [The fellow] could start a thread about 'Lexington', but if I did, I'd be called a jingoist. Laugh

Doug

Doug with about 19 hours or so to go there's a chance that the Lexington might be funded.

I figured that another $322.00 USD or so needs to be added in order for the Lexington to be made.

As I said there's a chance so we'll see.

Michael

Slight correction it's $315.97 USD USD needed to fund the Lexington.

Michael

The number needed to fund the Lexington is getting close it looks like $163.00 USD USD or so with under 14/13 hours to go.

Michael

Well I just checked and the amount is at $10,543.00 USD which means that the Lexington will be made.

I didn't think it was possible but I'm glad it did.

So now we have 4 NEW ships to look forward to.

Michael

Well, my contribution was small, but real. DEFINITELY looking forward to what Tony does with those, and giving the game a try, of course. ;->=

Still a bit wistful for a Spanish fleet…

Doug

I have a good feeling that Tony will do the Spanish Fleet at some point along with the other ships that didn't get funded like the Tsar-class Battleship.

My contribution was fair so I'm looking forward to the rules and the 4 New ships.

Michael