- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
sorry to make your heart skip a beat thinking I was talking about Halo 3.. but this is another game for Halo fans. Firstly, I would like to offer my humble apologies if this thread is in the wrong area, this is my first time creating a thread on this site.
I am in the process of creating a tabletop game where plastic (+ pewter) model ships from the UNSC, the Covenant, and the Forerunners duke it out in spatial combat. There are novel-specific scenarios and even a few specific ones from Halo 2 itself.
Q: What Is This Game?
A: Halo: Space Combat Evolved is a modification of a Gamesworkshop board game called Battlefleet Gothic. Battle Fleet Gothic is the game of spaceship combat set during the Gothic War in the 41st millennium - a grim time when the Imperium of Mankind battles for survival in a hostile galaxy. Halo: SCE allows you to command fleets of warships in deadly conflict among the stars.
Using fleets of model spaceships players face off against each other across the voids of space or - more accurately - the tabletop! The ships are broadly separated into three main categories:
Battleships
These are the largest fighting ships in space. They can absorb a tremendous amount of damage and mount weapons batteries capable of laying waste to entire continents. These vessels are so huge that they are comparatively slow and ponderous to manoeuvre, so they need support from other vessels to bring the enemy to battle.
Cruisers
These ships are the workhorses of any fleet. They are manoeuvrable, well-armed ships, capable of operating away from a base for extended periods. This means that cruisers are used to extended patrols, blockades and raiding deep into enemy held space. In a major battle, cruisers screen the approach of the fleet in support of the escorts and form the gun line once battle begins.
Escorts
These are the most common warships in any fleet. They are fast, lightly armed and capable of running rings around heavier ships, which they accompany to protect them against torpedo attacks and to fight off enemy escorts. They are also used for independent actions such as scouting, raiding, low-level patrols, protecting convoys and chasing pirates.
One of the central mechanics of the game is that of leadership. Every ship or squadron has a leadership score and this represents the captains' ability and that of his crew to enact his orders quickly and competently. This is important in the game because each of your ships has access to a group of special orders that will change how your ship will act in the turn. Whether this is to 'Burn Retros', 'Come to a New Heading' or 'Brace for Impact!'.
The way ships move in the game has important implications. Although some ships can turn on the spot, most have to plan well in advance to make turns and reduce speed as they glide endlessly on in a frictionless environment. This is where terrain, such as planets and moons which have gravity wells, can come in useful to give your ships extra turning power. The restraints on ship movement give the game an interesting strategic focus; the game rewarding players who can out manoeuvre their opponents - to bring their weapon arc against a unarmed point (such as the rear) of an enemy ship is very satisfying!
As well as shooting ordnance is also used in the game to harm and protect ships. Ordnance is a catch-all term for the really small stuff that flies about in space, such as torpedoes, bombers, attack craft and fighters. The ordnance is bought into the battle by cruisers known as 'carriers' for obvious reasons. Ordnance may seem easy to ignore at first, but a player who underestimates the effect it can have will not do so twice!
The forum that is set up for the creation of this game is (relatively) new with (I wont lie) a pathetic amount of members (3), but if this description has interested you, even somewhat, then the URL below should lead you to the forum where you can post questions and gain answers, and toss in your Two Cents as to what you think should be in the game.
http://s14.invisionfree.com/Halo_SCE/index.php?act=idx
Hope to see many of you there!
[Edited on 4/24/2006]