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Ramson
Cadet
Joined: 30 Jan 2011
Posts: 8
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 Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:44 pm Post subject: Reaction times |
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Long time fantasy player but having trouble with concepts in sci-fi based games.
We hit a transport ship in a primary lane when it fell out of hyperspace at a buoy marking a debris field. Battle was quick but they got off a distress signal.
My question is how soon can reinforcements be expected to arrive? We are working as Alliance privateers and the transport we hit was carrying imperial goods and operating under a low profile to reduce piracy. The escort ships fell quickly but now that we have engaged in boarding and cargo recovery actions I am at a loss on how to determine the length of time I should spend in this very vulnerable position.
We moved the ship into the debris field to prevent happenstance discovery of anyone using the lane but any answering the distress call will investigate the debris field.
I realize there probably aren't any hard and fast rules but strategies for future ops would be very helpful.
(Here is where I wave at my GM who comes to this sight all the time) |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16281
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:48 pm Post subject: Re: Reaction times |
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| Ramson wrote: | Long time fantasy player but having trouble with concepts in sci-fi based games.
We hit a transport ship in a primary lane when it fell out of hyperspace at a buoy marking a debris field. Battle was quick but they got off a distress signal.
My question is how soon can reinforcements be expected to arrive? We are working as Alliance privateers and the transport we hit was carrying imperial goods and operating under a low profile to reduce piracy. The escort ships fell quickly but now that we have engaged in boarding and cargo recovery actions I am at a loss on how to determine the length of time I should spend in this very vulnerable position.
We moved the ship into the debris field to prevent happenstance discovery of anyone using the lane but any answering the distress call will investigate the debris field.
I realize there probably aren't any hard and fast rules but strategies for future ops would be very helpful.
(Here is where I wave at my GM who comes to this sight all the time) |
There are no real hard and fast rules for it, as there are a lot of factors that come into play. Are you in a sector with a high Imperial presence? If not, does the Sector have non fleet units like Sector Rangers or local system navies that assist the Empire in policing the area? What is the traffic level on the hyperspace route your privateer group is operating on? How valuable is the cargo (a high-value cargo registered with local authorities may instigate a more rapid response)? Who owns the cargo (a local corporation may have good relations with the local security forces, who in turn pay more attention to the safety of that company's cargo than others)? These are just a few potential considerations, even before you consider the possibility of a random patrol ship stumbling onto the scene.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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Ramson
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Joined: 30 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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Went in pretty much blind thanks to my "admiral" that paired me with another ship who had the target already picked. Of course this ship vanished when boarding operations began. Yes, I intend to discuss this with her captain.
However, you have given me some things to look at for the next op which may be a solo mission after I shoot my fellow captain in her face for leaving my flank exposed while I was jacked into the cargo ship. |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16281
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Ramson wrote: | Went in pretty much blind thanks to my "admiral" that paired me with another ship who had the target already picked. Of course this ship vanished when boarding operations began. Yes, I intend to discuss this with her captain.
However, you have given me some things to look at for the next op which may be a solo mission after I shoot my fellow captain in her face for leaving my flank exposed while I was jacked into the cargo ship. |
I would vote for a less severe approach. Sounds like you need to insist on better pre-op intel in the future, and maybe invest in a comm jamming system. As for the other captain, shooting her outright might endanger your letter of marque if you are an Alliance privateer (just because they've given you a pardon doesn't mean they condone outright murder). I'd wait to hear what her story is. If she ran because she got scared, then I would refuse to work with her in the future, since she has proven unreliable.
Also, on a side note, privateers don't take orders from fleet command, so an admiral shouldn't be able to order you to perform actions. A member of the military performing piratical or privateering duties is technically referred to as a commerce raider. If you are a full on privateer, you operate independently of military command, and while they can issue requests for strikes on specific targets, they can't order you, and you can decline their requests if you wish. However, if you want to maintain good relations with Alliance Command, then you need to make sure you are declining the request for valid reasons.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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Ramson
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Joined: 30 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I didn't really intend to kill her just venting.
Our "admiral" is actually a privateer that has assembled a privateer fleet. Out of character I am not fond of the arrangement but in character I am loyal to him.
Having discussed it with the GM there was some misunderstanding regarding the debriefing before the attack. I anticipated a more thorough discussion over strategy once we arrived in the sector where we were given orders to begin operations but it never came.
As to why this captain left the scene I found out OOC that she had a secondary target she intercepted for destruction value. I find such an excuse unacceptable. We will have to see how the confrontation goes. |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16281
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Ramson wrote: | Yeah, I didn't really intend to kill her just venting.
Our "admiral" is actually a privateer that has assembled a privateer fleet. Out of character I am not fond of the arrangement but in character I am loyal to him.
Having discussed it with the GM there was some misunderstanding regarding the debriefing before the attack. I anticipated a more thorough discussion over strategy once we arrived in the sector where we were given orders to begin operations but it never came.
As to why this captain left the scene I found out OOC that she had a secondary target she intercepted for destruction value. I find such an excuse unacceptable. We will have to see how the confrontation goes. |
I'd be careful with loyalty as a pirate or a privateer. Leadership in those fields is decided almost entirely by competence on a day to day basis, and if you slip up, your crew may end up making you pay for it. If your admiral starts making ill-considered decisions that put you in unnecessarily dangerous situations, a true pirate/privateer would walk out and never look back.
As far as the briefing, it sounds like this may be a CYA situation for the future. You need to come up with a list of informative questions regarding the assigned target, and make sure that the GM has that information available. If it isn't, then you need to tell the Pirate Admiral that you and your crew need double shares to count for hazard pay.
As far as the secondary objective, if this woman was assigned to be your backup and violated orders by going off on her own, that admiral had better tear her a new one and make sure that it doesn't happen again. If, on the other hand, she was following orders, and the Admiral sent your backup off on a wild goose chase, then I would seriously consider going independent. Whatever the benefits are to working as part of a larger group, they do not compare to being under the command of someone whose poor tactical decisions put you, your crew and your ship in unnecessary danger.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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garhkal
Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 14168
Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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As far as response time, it also depends how far out you are.
You said you hit the cargo ship at a buoy marking a debris field. How far out from the normal 'drop out' point for the system you are in is that? What is there around it that could hurt someone using scanners to detect you? How long did the space battle and subsequent towing take?
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Ramson
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Joined: 30 Jan 2011
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: | As far as response time, it also depends how far out you are.
You said you hit the cargo ship at a buoy marking a debris field. How far out from the normal 'drop out' point for the system you are in is that? What is there around it that could hurt someone using scanners to detect you? How long did the space battle and subsequent towing take? |
All excellent questions that I cannot answer. However I will make sure to have such information before our next operation.
Well, actually I can answer the combat and towing question. If memory serves the entire ship to ship combat lasted about 6 rounds then another 3 or 4 for towing.
The confrontation with the captain went well. It was her intention to delay the arrival of assistance by hitting other targets in the area. I guess she had a "keep them guessing" tactic on her mind. |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16281
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Ramson wrote: | | The confrontation with the captain went well. It was her intention to delay the arrival of assistance by hitting other targets in the area. I guess she had a "keep them guessing" tactic on her mind. |
And that's a perfectly valid tactic for dealing with law enforcement; keep them busy and distract them. Of course, it helps keep everyone's "head in the game" if that plan is agreed upon in advance.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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Xamot
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:38 am Post subject: |
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For the record. The response time was 35 rounds, a one man Imp scout ship. This time the first action they did was com and sensor jam him. His attempt to flee was cut short by 4 quad laser batteries. They are improving and all my plans are coming to fruition.
<Insert manically laughter here>
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garhkal
Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
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Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 4:34 am Post subject: |
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LOL..
though 4 rounds to hook up ad tow a ship?? Seems rather fast.. Your ship got a tractor beam?
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ZzaphodD
Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:25 am Post subject: |
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| Ramson wrote: | Well, actually I can answer the combat and towing question. If memory serves the entire ship to ship combat lasted about 6 rounds then another 3 or 4 for towing.
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One of the problems with RPG:s. When you measure time by rounds complicated actions often take ridiculously little time. People act like preprogrammed robots 'game time' because all the 'thinking time' is done 'real time'. Almost everything can be done under a 'realistic' response time (ie, the troops are not about to punch the launchbutton at a moments notice).
A whole boarding action including towing at about 1 minute... 
I always insert some 'downtime' between actions. Perhaps not 'in game' during combat, but when we afterwards estimate what time a certain assault took I just doesnt count the number of rounds in combat.
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My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course.. |
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Ramson
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: | LOL..
though 4 rounds to hook up ad tow a ship?? Seems rather fast.. Your ship got a tractor beam? |
Yes, we didn't jack into the ship until we had it in the debris field. Actually boarding and cargo retrieval took considerably longer. |
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garhkal
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Joined: 17 Jul 2005
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Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| ZzaphodD wrote: | | Ramson wrote: | Well, actually I can answer the combat and towing question. If memory serves the entire ship to ship combat lasted about 6 rounds then another 3 or 4 for towing.
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One of the problems with RPG:s. When you measure time by rounds complicated actions often take ridiculously little time. People act like preprogrammed robots 'game time' because all the 'thinking time' is done 'real time'. Almost everything can be done under a 'realistic' response time (ie, the troops are not about to punch the launchbutton at a moments notice).
A whole boarding action including towing at about 1 minute... . |
Very true Z> It just strains my disbelief to think you can maneuver up to another ship, hook up to it, and then tow it X distance in less than a minute of time (remember each round is 5 seconds)..
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Ramson
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Joined: 30 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: | | ZzaphodD wrote: | | Ramson wrote: | Well, actually I can answer the combat and towing question. If memory serves the entire ship to ship combat lasted about 6 rounds then another 3 or 4 for towing.
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One of the problems with RPG:s. When you measure time by rounds complicated actions often take ridiculously little time. People act like preprogrammed robots 'game time' because all the 'thinking time' is done 'real time'. Almost everything can be done under a 'realistic' response time (ie, the troops are not about to punch the launchbutton at a moments notice).
A whole boarding action including towing at about 1 minute... . |
Very true Z> It just strains my disbelief to think you can maneuver up to another ship, hook up to it, and then tow it X distance in less than a minute of time (remember each round is 5 seconds).. |
Didn't take any hooking up. Just tractor beam and moving. Didn't engage the boarding action until later as previously said. |
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