Shooting Womp Rats D6 Podcast

[shootingwomprats]

Thank you very much, Jason! We'll be sure to take your request under advisement.

We'll be talking the custom rules from The Far Orbit Project and Rules of Engagement this week.

What else would you like to hear about?
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[Red 331]

I enjoyed the last show - great interview with Cheshire too. You even asked about his FFG system experience. Glad to hear he's still partial to d6.

I liked that you broke things up into segments. Maybe as you move forward in the future, you can create some little customized audio "transitions" to introduce the segments. Although your vocalized typewriter sound attempt should win some kind of award for effort.

I think your optional/custom rules plan sounds excellent for the next episode. At some point I think you could focus on the wild die, and how it's used and interpreted. We have an interesting thread on that here:
http://www.rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4234

In that thread, Cheshire mentions his article in the Open d6 magazine in which he provides an excellent breakdown of the wild die mechanic. The wild die probably would be a good topic for its own show - or maybe even a couple shows, though.

For a smaller filler topic, maybe you could run with Jason's comment about the small retractable blaster cannon on the Falcon. Apparently both Cheshire and myself forgot that it was in fact provided stats in WEG materials (page 44 of the 2nd ed. Star Wars Sourcebook, for example) More broadly than just this one feature, it might be fun for you to talk about the variation of stats provided for the Falcon over the course of the WEG publications. I think there are at least 3 versions or so of stats - going from it's configuration in the Rebellion era to the New Republic era. You could also talk about all the different deck plans created for the Falcon over the years. Kind of random, I know, but might be interesting for a filler.

Another idea is to talk about the use of the Star Warriors star fighter battle system. How many people use it in their roleplaying campaigns? How do the conversions back and forth between the two systems work? I've always really liked the Star Warriors board game set made by WEG, and I think it's the most "accurate" Star Wars starfighter battle system ever created, but it does take a REALLY long time to play. I'd love to hear from the Womp Rats crew, and anyone else, about how and if they use it during gaming sessions.

Thanks again for the fun program!

[Mojomoe]

^well, if you want something really wacky, we use a modified version of the new Fantasy Flight X-Wing game rules, but with game pieces from the Star Wars pocketmodel game. The best part is, I've got tons of 'em, including masses of 20+ TIEs and A-Wings, etc.

It sounds strange, but it plays fast, runs tactically, and patently - it LOOKS fantastic! Players really seem to love having a little model starship in front of them. Makes them care a little more about the nonentity that is "the ship."

[Jason Scanlon]

Ditto the typewriter impression compliment.

I was just thinking about the Falcon's deckplan last night too. Specifically, I'm finding it strange that the cargo hold takes up most of the saucer's aft with very little engine space. Is there some reason for this? I like to imagine it being a mess back there, being that the Falcon is supposedly such a bolted-together Frankenstein-monster of a ship. I'm also thinking about what stock YT-1300 looks like in my game. How much of the Falcon's familiar appearance is the result of modifications? I've seen images of stock models looking just like it. I like the idea of that ship being unique, especially since it's one of those strangely-configured craft I love from Star wars. Speaking of which... what does it look like inside the command module of a Firespray?

A few brainstorm ideas:

I don't know what's up with holdout blasters. A small blaster can be fairly concealable. I read on wookieepedia that they can be palmed and have limited ammunition. Is this expanded on in the RPG anywhere? I'm beginning to get a picture of a derringer/noisy cricket/ps20 type thing. A tiny gun that looks like a toy and does crummy damage.

I think blasters in general could do more damage, actually. I've thought about having all of their damage dice explode (reroll all sixes) as a houserule, but I haven't tried it. It may cause too high of a body count. I've rationalized the RAW by reminding myself that Greedo was one of the few guys that got unmistakeably smoked (outside blowing up in space) and that incapacitated looks just like mortally wounded and dead onscreen. I have also convinced myself that a stun result from a blaster bolt comes from the wall you're flattened against exploding in sparks and pink gas. These things are vaporizing metal nearby and your skin is smooth and painful where the bolt came close. If it actually grazes you you'll be wounded at least. You don't see a lot of people limping away in the original trilogy though, really (not with both their hands). There are different demands for a film as opposed to a game, I think, but I wonder how this works out for everybody.

Moving on: I just realized the A-Wing is known for sensor jamming equipment. How much attention is this given in later editions of the game? I noticed sensors get attention in the later stat blocks for ships.

Actually, how about a general overview of the differences between editions?

And last, but not least, shields!

[Jason Scanlon]

That reminds me...

Who uses alternate rules for space combat? The first edition book seems to encourage it in preference to the rules in the book. What have been your experiences with these rules and the expanded ones?

[Mojomoe]

Well as I mentioned, we're pretty happy with the Pocketmodels (for damage, etc.), and the brilliant X-Wing rules for movement. I even worked out a (nearly) perfect conversion from D6 speed/Maneuverability/scale to the X-Wing movement dial chart, which is awesome because those stats were NEVER meant to play nice together! It basically allows for tactically-minded combat, and the minis mean there can be 15-20 ships on the board without confusion or slowdown (something not possible before).

We'd always tried the RAW space rules, but found them simultaneously very clunky and very abstract. As a result, we ended up never doing combat space combat because it was a beast to run... I'm happy to have it back!

[shootingwomprats]

Add a Wild Die to damage rolls? I was under the impression that every single roll includes a wild die.

R&E p.74, in "Chapter 4 Rules" specifically under the section "Rolling Actions" and "The Wild Die" it states, "The wild die counts for all die rolls in the game, including skill and attribute checks, weapons damage and rolling Perception for initiative."[/i]
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[Jason Scanlon]

Actually, I meant all the dice.

I have first edition, which does not mention the wild die. I am aware of the rule, though, and considered using it because I love exploding dice.
I eventually decided to forget it and leave those sorts of occurrences in the realm of Trusting in the Force.

[Darth_Hilarious]

Holy Overkill Batman............... exploding 6's on ALL rolls!!!!!!!

A lucky roller could effectively disembowel an Impstar Deuce with a holdout blaster.................................... 6 hours of rerolling 6's later.......................... Ok I do 12 thousand damage!

[Jason Scanlon]

I think thats a bit of an exaggeration. It depends on how lethal you think getting shot should be. I agree it may not be best for a game, though. I was mainly trying to avoid completely changing the damage codes for weapons or the damage table, while balancing blasters against the monstrous potential melee damage.

That goes along with my question about holdout blasters. I don't know where they come from in the fiction and have no reference point for what damage they do, but I have seen what blaster bolts do in the movies (they generally kill people or miss them completely). Maybe the whole system is anti-thematic, but I still like it overall.

I prefer 1st ed. though, so my opinion doesn't count.

[Jason Scanlon]

Oh, and to clarify...

By "all the dice" I meant all of the dice for blaster damage, not "all rolls"

[Darth_Hilarious]

I agree with the entire hit or miss thing with a blaster weapon. IF it hits there are only two options 1 Dead or 2 Dying

Goes back to the Monty Python skit............................ Tis only a scratch!

[Jason Scanlon]

Yeah. I think the killer houserule might come from my irritation with Star Wars video games in the Dark Forces-Jedi Knight-Jedi Academy series. I loved the games, but I just hate watching my guy shoot a bad guy in the face 3 times before he falls down.

[shootingwomprats]

Jason, you have a ton of ideas. We'll hit up a few next week, and see what Brett Pisinki's take is on them.
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[vong]

Finally had time to listen to the podcasts. Really enjoyed them. Nice to hear some of cheshire's gaming stores.

It would be really interesting to interview different people about their favorite game story.


I do have something that I would like discussed in general, it has been something I have been thinking about for a while...

How do you get other people hooked on D6 - http://www.rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136375#136375
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