Re: [Epic] more thoughts on Epic40K

From: LURKER <lurker_at_...>
Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 16:54:37 -0400 (EDT)

At 08:30 AM 5/21/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I found the note in the appendix that players may want to make up
>some rules about how hits are applied when using barrages--i.e.
>treating models under a barrage as being on the "front". You'd
>have to take into account the ratio of barrage FP to normal FP,
>but you could guess at this easily.
>
>Looks to me like there are 4 columns of difficulty to hit, with
>the 3 columns of the FP table plus using 1 die per FP for immobile
>war engines in the open. These columns seem to multiply the FP
>by some factor. The factors are (I think) 1, .75, .5, .4. If
>you wanted to fool around with this (I'm not recommending it, since
>it would take longer), you could do some interesting variations.
>Instead of having the table scale your FP, you could roll one die
>per FP, and then another die (a d8 easily gives you .75 (3+), .5 (5+),
>and approximates .4 as .375 (6+), to apply the appropriate column.
>For example, to use the vehicle/infantry in the open column (factor
>is .5), roll 1 die per FP (you need a lot of dice :-), and for each
>hit, roll for 5+ on d8. Obviously, the maximum number of hits you
>can get goes up a lot, but the average should be around the same.
>
>This method lets you apply the correct effect of each column to
>each figure, for detachments partially in cover, or one immobilised
>Scorpion in a detachment of 3.
>
>You could either roll hits, apply the appropriate target die (or
>cover die or situation die or whatever you want to call it), and
>then assign hits to units normally; or you could roll hits, apply
>them to units, and then roll for which ones were actually hit.
>
>Although this gives some interesting features, like applying cover
>to each unit according to its own situation, and giving more variation
>in how many could be hit, and feeling like all the guns you are
>shooting at a detachment has some chance of having an effect, it
>adds a bunch more dice, and (more importantly) adds rolls that have
>to be made once per figure. I think the optional rule of being
>able to hit units under a barrage is more useable. Still, fun to
>think of such things! I suppose you could also scale the armor
>values to apply the above factors. You wouldn't do it on a d6,
>since there isn't enough precision. But you could multiply each
>armor save by 2 and subtracting 1 (for rolling on a d12), and use
>that for the immobilized war engine column, and then figure out
>what each armor value would be multiplied by .75, .5, and .4.
>Then you'd roll all your hits on the larger die. You'd have to
>have a chart for those, but it is another way to apply the factor
>applied in the FP chart while still keeping 1 die per FP.
>
>Just me being silly.
>
>andy
>askinner_at_...
>
>

 Hows this for silly... convert the entire Epic system to percentile dice or
D10 so one could have realistic die modifiers like + or - 5% rather than the
across the board (aproximatley and not less than) 16% modifiers you get on a
D6 for anything. This would allow a range of modifiers that more accurately
reflects the importance of the variable that is been taken into effect and
3 modifiers don't automatically add up to 50%. Minor modifiers could be 5%,
average could be 10% and biggies could be 15% and up( like landing on a hay
stack after your Imperiator blows up - You're still dead of course but it's a
moral victory to protect your ego from your opponents gloating taunts and
somehow symbolizes your luck.)
  I also support the move to percentile dice because then all us players over
16 wont be embarassed when real wargamers watch us play. I mean everyone knows
that 6 sided dice are for kids and are mainly associated with games like RISK.
A move to percentile dice would give an air of sophistication and respectability
among serious wargaming adults and help to remove the "Recommended for for age
12 yrs and less" stigma attached to Epic by most adults and wives.
Maybe more adults would be attracted to the game as a result
Maybe I would come out of the closet with mine?

    The LURKER

   "You stay here and make sure HE doesn't leave the room..."
Received on Wed May 21 1997 - 20:54:37 UTC