Keeping a flying creation...flying!

[ameelus]

Hi there.
Just antoher n00b question, could you recommend me some ways to keep flying creations "flying" over the battlefield with some kind of "pedestal", maybe transparent would be the best solution...looked for some pictures around the forum, in vain.
Even non-bricks solutions would be much appreciated.

My solution at the moment would be keeping the plane in my hand the WHOLE game ahahah.

[Silverdream]

There are many ways and it depends on how high you want to keep your creations and also how big they are.



I mainly use these pieces because you can adjust height easily. However, for a bigger or heavier creation you could use coke cans like Tuefish did for the peach massacre.



But you can always use random 1x1 tall bricks, which are useful for hovercycles and you can turn your creation if you'd like.

[Gungnir]

However, for a bigger or heavier creation you could use coke cans like Tuefish did for the peach massacre.

If you get enough of them, you can hold up heavier stuff.

[dilanski]

Spoiler: show

This was done with a load of 1*2 trans-clear bricks stacked into a column and a hinge plate, the base had 2*2 slope bricks for stability. later I replaced it with two columns and a 69*8 plate for a base so the model could be more stable while angled, because the models centre of gravity was well within the base and the columns could easily support the weight. I'd also suggest that if a creation stays purposefully airborne the whole battle, it wasn't a very good battle, horrific death almost always trumps horrific survival.

Spoiler: show

[IVhorseman]

All of these examples work really well if you're using baseplates - but end tragically if you're not. Except the coke can, that works.

If I'm just playing on the coffee table or the carpet, an upside-down drinking glass is usually good enough.

If your plane is flying over an empty field without anything important on it, feel free to just plop it on the ground and make sure everybody knows it's supposed to actually be in the air.  

[morganm]

It's also helpful to use a d20 as an elevation indicator.  That way you don't actually have to have a ship be 18 inches above the battle field.  Just elevate it up a few inches, set a d20 next to it at 18, and now we all know it's 18 inches high.  This would mean the LOWEST point of that vehicle is 18 inches from the ground.  

This becomes necessary when stuff on the ground aims at the ship or the ship aims at stuff on the ground.  Now you know what's in range and what's not.  Helps avoid the age-old "My Osum lazer sniper urk shoots at your super penis hover bike!"  which is followed by "naw dude it's like 20 inches off the ground"  then "NO YOU NEVER SAID THAT".... "I TOTALLY SAID THAT LIKE 8 TURNS AGO!"

[IVhorseman]

I'm pretty sure range is just a straight-forward horizontal distance, otherwise height advantages and stuff wouldn't work out right. So if the hoverbike's 20" off the ground but only 3" away horizontally, it's considered 3" away for all range purposes.

I guess thrown weapons would be subject to height limitations though.

[Gungnir]

I'm pretty sure range is just a straight-forward horizontal distance, otherwise height advantages and stuff wouldn't work out right. So if the hoverbike's 20" off the ground but only 3" away horizontally, it's considered 3" away for all range purposes.

Depends on who you're playing with, really. We count height as part of range, just because it's easier for us to hold a tape measure to a creation rather than under it.

[IVhorseman]

That makes the bonus for high ground actually more harm than good, then.

Think of it as a right triangle: if two minifigs are 1" away and you elevate one by another inch, you add 1" to his range. but his actual distance to the target is increased by about 1.4"

I mean play brikwars by whatever means you'll get through the game faster and have more fun, but the way you're playing now kinda fucks with that mechanic.

[stubby]

Height is ignored when firing at someone lower than yourself - consider the horizontal range only. There's a range bonus also, 1" per inch of height advantage, if I remember right. Height must be considered when firing at someone higher than yourself, so guys on lower ground are at a disadvantage.

There's a rule that flyers can't fire at any targets more than 5" higher or lower than themselves, to prevent certain kinds of abuse.

[morganm]

We always use the QuikWars rules which have nothing about elevation, high ground, etc.  If it's in range, and you have LoS, you can hit it.... if not then fail.  So we count height / elevation just like any other distance.  If you aren't in range due to being too high in your vehicle then you can't shoot anyone nor can you be shot.  

If you want to increase or decrease elevation it's just like any other standard movement.