Force Balancing

[Solarisjock]

Is there a method of balancing the current forces that we have seen? or do we need to wait till the Captains rules?

[Trenchknife]

I have not seen a force balancing technique except the, "I'll take 2 destroyers and a cruiser, you do the same."

[Lord Cameron]

Yes, it will take a few more ship classes & some data on game results before that can really be decided

[StCptMara]

Yes, it will take a few more ship classes & some data on game results before that can really be decided

I really expect any balancing system will end up like Battle Value in Battletech: So far from perfect there
will be arguments over it...Personally, I hope they just keep it the way it is: take the ship types, there,
balanced.

[pianobar]

I really expect any balancing system will end up like Battle Value in Battletech: So far from perfect there
will be arguments over it...Personally, I hope they just keep it the way it is: take the ship types, there,
balanced.

While I like simple, I'm almost wondering if some ships won't have different values based on the Lt. Manual rules taking away some "abilities" that those ships would otherwise have.

I'm not sure how the system will end up, myself. While I enjoy simplicity, in my head the ships have different worth or "value" depending on rule level and fleet size.

[Lord Cameron]

I hope they just keep it the way it is: take the ship types, there,
balanced.

Uh, unless one side has better ships - then it's not balanced

BV would be better (or SV - ship value)

[First Sea Lord Randall Bills]

Is there a method of balancing the current forces that we have seen? or do we need to wait till the Captains rules?

At the current time there is no "point system" released. There is a set of guidelines that will appear in the Commander's Manual and I'm working on a point system; whether that point system will ultimately appear on the Core Box is unknown at this time.


Randall

[StCptMara]

I hope they just keep it the way it is: take the ship types, there,
balanced.

Uh, unless one side has better ships - then it's not balanced

BV would be better (or SV - ship value)

No fight is balanced, even with artificial systems to balance them.
Every ship has strengths, every ship has weaknesses. The only way
for a game to be perfectly balanced is if both sides are the same ships
played against yourself.

[Welshman]

Force balencing... BVs... shudder...

No you can't make me do that again!

Err sorry, having BT flashbacks. I'm sure our First Sea Lord will take all the pain he knows that system has caused his rules developers into account when creating one for Leviathans.

(Right?)

[ColBosch]

He'd better, or I'll unleash the tripods.

[pianobar]

Err sorry, having BT flashbacks. I'm sure our First Sea Lord will take all the pain he knows that system has caused his rules developers into account when creating one for Leviathans.

I'm already feeling pain.

[Worktroll]

He'd better, or I'll unleash the tripods.

Quickly, one after the other, four of the fighting machines appeared. Monstrous tripods, higher than the tallest steeple, striding over the pine trees and smashing them, walking tripods of glittering plastic Each carried a huge spreadsheet, and I realized with horror that I'd seen this awful thing before.

A fifth machine appeared on the far bank. It raised itself to full height, flourished the spreadsheet high in the air, and the ghostly terrible clicking struck the town.

As it struck, all five fighting machines exulted, emitting deafening howls which roared like thunder:

Martians: Beee-veee! Beee-veee! Beee-veee!

[Lord Cameron]

Force balencing... BVs... shudder...

No you can't make me do that again!

Err sorry, having BT flashbacks. I'm sure our First Sea Lord will take all the pain he knows that system has caused his rules developers into account when creating one for Leviathans.

(Right?)

Sadly, it will be needed.

When you want to set up a quick game you want to have it balanced, otherwise it will not be as fun for the players

[StCptMara]

When you want to set up a quick game you want to have it balanced, otherwise it will not be as fun for the players

So..how do you plan to take into account the skill, cunning, and style of the individual
players? I know from Battletech that someone who, as a player, specializes in in-fighting, that close combat 'mechs are definatley under-represented in Battlevalue, while someone who is a hit and run person, the mechs that are capable of that sort of tactic effectively
are more effective then their BV indicates. And, BV assumes that people are going to fight
logically, so if you fight crazy, it really does not work well, either. Unless the system can
account  for the player, then it is worthless.

[ColBosch]

Not worthless, no, as long as the limitations of the system are acknowledged up-front. Besides, the whole idea of a points system is to remove as much of the element of powergaming from force selection as possible and move the element of chance to the dice and player actions.

No points system can ever make up for the fact that some players are simply better than others, especially as such skill cannot be quantified. All it can do is help to make sure that the lesser player has the tools they could use to defeat the better player in a fair match.