BW 2010 feedback

[stubby]

That's the (very rough) plan. It might even become a kind of a skill system, as much as I hate to go that route. But the idea is that specialist-training type skills (mediks, mechaniks, gunners, scouts, etc.) are all going to be built around an Expert d8 roll with good results on 6 or above.

Any units with the same d8-type Specialty can Assist each other, boosting the specialty die by one die size. A Tek (or co-pilot, or nurse, etc) can Assist any d8 roll, but that's all they can do - they can't attempt the roll by themselves.

The Commando unit can try any of the d8 skills, but with only a d6 roll instead; he's got field training in everything but isn't an expert in anything specific. A Tek can't Assist a Commando.

Minifigs without any training can attempt some d8 skills, but only with an Incompetent d4.

It's a good idea in theory, but it falls apart in a couple key areas and I haven't gotten it in complete working order yet. For one thing, dice top out at d12, so if you're piling 10 gunners onto a 12" megadong laser or something then you need to go with +1s instead in order to counteract the crazy Use penalties. For another, some of the specialties have decent results all the way down to a roll of 2, which means I don't want to make it so easy for units to attempt them with d4s and d6es. So there are a lot of bugs to shake out.

[RedRover]

I like the commando idea, that's interesting

[Silent-sigfig]

The Commando unit can try any of the d8 skills, but with only a d6 roll instead; he's got field training in everything but isn't an expert in anything specific. A Tek can't Assist a Commando.

Minifigs without any training can attempt some d8 skills, but only with an Incompetent d4.

I like these ideas a lot. It makes commandos a lot cooler than "normal guy with d8 skill."

It's a good idea in theory, but it falls apart in a couple key areas and I haven't gotten it in complete working order yet. For one thing, dice top out at d12, so if you're piling 10 gunners onto a 12" megadong laser or something then you need to go with +1s instead in order to counteract the crazy Use penalties. For another, some of the specialties have decent results all the way down to a roll of 2, which means I don't want to make it so easy for units to attempt them with d4s and d6es. So there are a lot of bugs to shake out.

I considered this, but I figured if you're using a giant dongblaster it would be better to just aim at a larger target for a size bonus.

Of course both systems work about as well for what we are likely to actually see in a battle, but I just like the idea of increasing skill die size more than adding a bonus.



On the subject of gunners, I think that "homing in" should apply to sustained fire of machine guns using arc fire, but they only get bonuses up to the arc size.

[Sir Sporktimus]

Just noting that all the Horse pricing examples (Gun horse, Flying Horse, etc.) still have the previous 9CP base, in case it hadn't been pointed out. Loving the new Army rules, by the way.

[Valiant]

Stubby, would it be possible for this photo to make it into the BW 2010 Rulebook? Perhaps under "Chapter 9: Vehicles".

[Vason]

I considered this, but I figured if you're using a giant dongblaster it would be better to just aim at a larger target for a size bonus.

But smashing small things with ridiculous overkill is what Brikwars is all about!


I would guess that combining Gunners is the only thing that would need +1s rather than increased die size. Medix (ker-Triage), Mechanix(Construction Distance, Disassemble Elements), Pilots (Stunt Distance), and Scout (Field Hazards...?) all would probably be most fun(ny) with die sizes. Assisted Heavies might be an interesting way for a bunch of figs to carry a giant dongblaster together. Assisted Officers would probably be a bit much, though.

[Silent-sigfig]

I considered this, but I figured if you're using a giant dongblaster it would be better to just aim at a larger target for a size bonus.

Assisted Heavies might be an interesting way for a bunch of figs to carry a giant dongblaster together.

Even though heavies don't get a skill bonus I really like where you're going with this.

[stubby]

Minor updates today;



A big new photo in 11.1 from me, and another one in 8.1 from Valiant.
Minor clarifications on Divert All Power in 8.1 and Extended Actions in 4.2.
CP Costs of Horse examples in the H.1 sidebar corrected.

[Valiant]

[stubby]

Another update today - just did a CSS pass on every chapter to make everything prettier.

The Vehicles chapter got Flight split into regular Flight Movement and Forward Flight, and Flight Power Limits are different depending on whether you're flying over the ground or in space. Thrust is back to requiring Thruster elements again.

Kommander Ken got another photo in Chapter 3 for fighting with minifig tools.

[CaptainZebra]

It's all sans-serif!

[Tzan]

Sans-serif is the best serif

I'm surprised no one has made a PDF to HTML/CSS converter.

[Gungnir]

I actually prefer serif fonts if I'm reading long stretches of text, such as those in a rule book.

[Kommander Ken]

Minifig tools seriously make the best weapons. I should just make a faction of bottle-wielding drunkards so they can smash while getting smashed.

[stubby]

A couple more updates this weekend:

A bunch more CSS behind the scenes. You won't notice any difference if I did it right, but the pages should load about 10% faster.

The painting of the ZZD heroes is now at the top of Chapter Six.

In For a Benny rules have been added to the sidebars for What I Say Goes Rolls and Heroic Feats. You can now skip rolling against WISG and Feats and reward yourself a Benny for being so generous.

The Fire section of Field Hazards has been split into Permanent Fire Hazards and Objects on Fire, to separate the different mechanics of the two.

And lots of other minor clarifications and cleanup, as usual.