BFG article for Warp rift

[CELS]

Alright, this is where I'll be brainstorming for my BFG-article for Warp rift, and where I hope you'll brainstorm with me. By now, we do seem to have more than one member who is familiar with BFG, so I'm especially interested in these educated opinions of course. But naturally, the ignorant non-wargamers are welcome to contribute as well

The article will be called... well, I don't know what to call it yet. It's going to be about the Navis Mercantilis, so maybe something like... Sailors of the Empyrean - An examination of the Navis Mercantilis, or... whatever.
The composition of the article;
1) A basic description of the Navis Nobilite. This part of the article will go on our website, I imagine. Basically, what is the Navis Mercantilis, what is its function, how big is it, what kind of ships does it have and roughly the percentage of each ship sizes. Also, a small box of information about the Navis Civiles, just to remind people that not all ships in the Imperium belong to the Adeptus Terra.

2) BFG rules for all the different ships, from caravels to super-heavy barges.

3) A modeller's guide to building Imperial merchant ships, in order to represent all sizes from caravels to super-heavy barges.

4) A BFG scenario for large battles involving the Navis Mercantilis.

Now, I will post the first part of the article elsewhere, when I start writing it. Which might not be before June, but there you go. You can find examples of the images that will be used in the modeller's guide in my Warseer BFG log. Thankfully, BFG-stuff doesn't generate a huge interest on Warseer (I should have started a truescale Space Marine log ), so don't worry about Warp Rift readers having seen it before!

Here I'll post the rules I've written so far;

Caravel
Caravels are represented by an ordnance marker and counts as ordnance to all intents and purposes. If a caravel marker comes in contact with enemy attack craft (fighters, bombers or assault boats), roll a D6 for each enemy attack craft in contact. If any of the attack craft score a 4 or higher, the caravel is destroyed and removed from play. Caravels may be attacked with long range weapons like other kinds of ordnance, using the normal rules. Caravels have a speed of 10 cm, allowing the ship to move 10 cm per ordnance phase (i.e. 20 cm per turn)
Transport capacity: 1

Clipper
1 Hit points, 1 Shield, 1 Turret
15 cm speed, Armour 4+
Weapon battery 15 cm, Strength 2, Left/Front/Right
Transport capacity: 1

Freighter
1 Hit points, 1 Shield, 1 Turret
15 cm speed, Armour 5+
Weapon battery 15 cm, Strength 2, Left/Front/Right
Transport capacity: 2

Galleon
4 Hit points, 1 Shield, 1 Turret
15 cm speed, Armour 5+
Weapon battery 15 cm, Strength 4, Left/Front/Right
Transport capacity: 4

Carrack
6 Hit points, 2 Shields, 2 Turrets
15 cm speed, Armour 5+
Weapon battery 15 cm, Strength 4, Left/Front/Right
Transport capacity: 6

Barge
8 Hit points, 2 Shields, 2 Turrets
15 cm speed, Armour 5+
Weapon battery 15 cm, Strength 6, Left/Front/Right
Transport capacity: 8

Heavy barge
10 Hit points, 2 Shields, 2 Turrets
15 cm speed, Armour 5+
Weapon battery 15 cm, Strength 6, Left/Front/Right
Transport capacity: 10

Super-heavy barge
12 Hit points, 3 Shields, 3 Turrets
15 cm speed, Armour 5+
Weapon battery 15 cm, Strength 6, Left/Front/Right
Transport capacity: 12

Special rules

Merchant vessels:
The ships of the Navis Mercantilis are generally not built with the same advanced technology as the Navis Militares, the Imperial Navy. In addition to their inferior defensive capabilities, Merchant vessels are often more sluggish, lacking the powerful engines used by the Imperial Navy, which makes them harder to manoeuvre and slower to accelerate. Naturally, the officers and crew of Merchant ships are rarely as skilled or experienced in dangerous situations as those of Navy ships and most sailors in the Navis Mercantilis may go their entire life without seeing anything like combat, in many regions of the Imperium.
Merchant fleet ships using All Ahead Full orders only add +3D6 cm to their speed. They also reduce their randomly rolled Leadership by one, so they will have a Leadership value of between 5 and 8.

Variants;
There are many types of merchant ships in the Imperium beyond the categories based on volume and cargo capacity. Sprint traders, frontier traders, armed merchants, jump tenders, bulk traders, fuel carriers and void cruisers are the most common types of specialised merchant ships, though there are also more common variants including fuel carriers, ore carriers and passenger ships. The large convoys plying the major trade lanes of the Imperium will usually have a mixed composition of such ship types, depending on the needs and demands of the Adeptus Administratum, but occasionally strategic considerations will prompt a request for sprint traders or armed merchants specifically.

Sprint trader-
Sprint traders are a class of merchant ships with tremendous speed at the cost of cargo capacity. They are expensive vessels, with advanced engines that approach the capabilities of Imperial military vessels, and their services are available only to the rich and privileged. Sprint traders are used for a variety of purposes, but most commonly carrying luxury goods, important personnel, fresh food or valuable lifeforms. Sprint traders are also sometimes commandeered by Inquisitors travelling incognito and by smugglers or rogue traders looking to bypass Imperial or xenos blockades.
A clipper, freighter, galleon or carrack may be upgraded to a sprint trader at the cost of 5 points per each transport capacity point. (A freighter with transport capacity 2 must pay 10 points.) This gives the ship a +5 cm speed bonus and also provides a +4D6 cm speed bonus when using All Ahead Full order instead of +3D6 cm. Sprint traders have half the original transport capacity of their ship type.

Armed merchant-
Armed merchants are simply merchant vessels that have been either constructed or refitted with military grade weaponry, the likes of which are usually reserved for the Imperial Navy. While most Imperial transports are equipped with a small battery of weapons to discourage pirates and raiders, they are easy prey in a real battle. Armed merchants are often sent to warzones or frontier worlds together with Imperial Navy escorts in situations where enemy raids are not only possible, but almost certain. Not all merchant ships are normally refitted in this way, however. The smallest caravels would be practically useless as transports if equipped with massive military grade weapons, and the largest vessels such as super-heavy barges are so valuable that they usually have dedicated Imperial Navy escort squadrons instead.
A clipper, freighter, galleon or carrack may be upgraded to an armed merchant at the cost of 5 points per each transport capacity point. (A freighter with transport capacity 2 must pay 10 points.) This gives the ship a 50% increase in weapon battery strength, with no additional range. For example, a freighter with strength 2 weapon batteries will have strength 3 weapon batteries if upgraded to an armed merchant ship. Armed merchants have half the original transport capacity of their ship type.

PS: Attached a photo of my WIP conversion for a super-heavy barge. I really hate the prow, so that will be changed. Otherwise, I rather like it. It's huge!!! 

[CELS]

For the BFG-scenario, I know that there's already a standard convoy scenario for BFG. While this scenario can be great fun, there are two problems with it. First of all, it's not very balanced for large battles, because the attacker will be at a disadvantage trying to destroy all enemy transports in order to avoid a draw or defeat.  Second, it's very sneaky and not a real battle. It's best for trying to slip a few freighters past an enemy patrol. It doesn't quite work when you've got a squadron of heavy barges escorted by dozens of destroyers, frigates and light cruisers.

Thus, I bring you; Convoy Battle

Convoy battle
In this scenario, an Imperial merchant convoy is en route to its destination, carrying enormous amounts of valuable cargo, when a large enemy fleet appears and begins to engage. While initially trying to avoid battle in order to protect its cargo, the Imperial convoy is eventually trapped and must defend itself. The attackers must destroy as many Imperial transports as possible before the battle is over.

Forces
The Imperial convoy may have any number of transport ships, each with a different transport capacity. However, for every 100 points of military vessels (using the Imperial Navy, Adeptus Astartes, Rogue Trader or Adeptus Mechanicus lists), the convoy must have 1,5 transport capacity points, rounding up. For example, in a game of 2000 points, the convoy must have 30 transport capacity points divided between its transports. These 30 points could be divided amongst fifteen freighters, three heavy barges or a variety of other selections. Any upgrades made to the transports count would be included in these 2000 points. The attacker has an equal amount of points as the defender, the Imperial convoy.
100 points - 1,5 transport capacity points
1500 points battle - 23 transport capacity points
2000 points battle - 30 transport capacity points
3000 points battle - 45 transport capacity points

Battlezone
The convoy may be attacked anywhere, even in orbit of its destination or point of departure. Often, convoys will be attacked in deep space, just as they emerge from the warp. Any method for placing celestial phenomena which can be mutually agreed upon by the players is acceptable.

Set-up
The attacker must split his forces so that between 25% and 50% of his fleet (calculated in terms of point cost, not number of ships) belongs to attack group A and the rest belongs to attack group B. The attacker first deploys attack group B, then the Imperial convoy deploys and finally the attack deploys attack group A. Note that all ships in each deployment zone must face the same direction, as indicated in the deployment map.
Attack group B and A may be deployed up to 30 cm from their short table edge, and the Imperial convoy may be deployed anywhere on the tabletop, but not within 30 cm of the enemy.
The set-up represents attack group B chasing the convoy into the jaws of attack group A.

First turn
Each player rolls a dice and the player with the higher score may choose whether to go first or second.

Special rules
In this scenario, the attackers have successfully brought the Imperial convoy to battle. Some attacking ships are kept in reserve at a distance, hoping to hunt down any fleeing transports that have disengaged and split away. Knowing that their best chances for survival lie in maintaining formation, not even the captains of the Navis Mercantilis will disengage from this battle unless forced. To represent this, the transports in the Imperial convoy may only disengage if they have been crippled. If able to disengage successfully, it is assumed that they have made it to safety (see Victory conditions). All other ships on either side may disengage as normal.

Game length
The battle continues until either fleet has disengaged or been destroyed.

Victory conditions
Naturally, the success or failure of the convoy depends on how many transports survive the attack. Calculate the percentage of surviving transports based on transport capacity points. Crippled transports count as having lost half their cargo (i.e. transport capacity points), rounding down.
0% survival – The entire convoy has been annihilated, and the defeat is a major blow to the Navis Mercantilis and the many Imperial worlds, armies and fleets awaiting supplies. A major victory for the attacker.
30% survival – Most of the convoy is destroyed, but the Imperial fleet is able to drive away the attackers. The attackers are victorious, though perhaps not to the extent that they had hoped. A minor victory for the attacker.
60% survival – While some ships have been lost or significantly damaged, the Imperial escorts are able to avoid disaster and defend their vulnerable transports. The convoy will reach its destination with most of its supplies intact. A minor defeat for the attacker.
90% survival – The convoy is virtually unscathed, despite the ferocity of the attack. The attackers have suffered a critical defeat, as their ships have been either lost or badly damaged and the Imperial convoy has not been stopped from reaching its destination. The Emperor protects! (A major defeat for the attacker)

[Malika]

I like the idea of the scenario so far. As you already mentioned, it's a bit unbalanced in favour of the defender, perhaps that could be solved by forcing the defender to move further if he has more forces. Meaning that while in a 1500 points battle he would have to move 30cm this distance would be increased to 40cm in a 2000 points battle and 60cm in a 3000 points battle. So you could have a defender with many super-heavy transports and all sorts of escorts, but that advantage is taken away if they are forced to survive even longer!

I'm tempted to work out an Ork version of this scenario...you think I should try creating separate rules for Ork transports, or simply use the Imperial ones with a vibe of "count as"?

[horizon]

Looks good.

You should note transport capacity values for the official bfg transports, freighters, etc as well. That way players have a better reference.

How did you make the map?

[CELS]

I like the idea of the scenario so far. As you already mentioned, it's a bit unbalanced in favour of the defender, perhaps that could be solved by forcing the defender to move further if he has more forces. Meaning that while in a 1500 points battle he would have to move 30cm this distance would be increased to 40cm in a 2000 points battle and 60cm in a 3000 points battle. So you could have a defender with many super-heavy transports and all sorts of escorts, but that advantage is taken away if they are forced to survive even longer!

You misunderstand me; I think the original Convoy scenario in the BFG rulebook is unbalanced in large battles in favour of the defender. In this scenario, I've countered that by making the victory conditions relative to the size of the battle, instead of using fixed numbers. If you read the original Convoy scenario, I think you'll see what I mean.
I hope this scenario isn't very unbalanced, but it's hard to say without having playtested it, and I will have to play it a few times before it goes in the article. The set-up isn't really very different from one of the fleet engagement scenarios, but the addition of transports makes it all a bit unpredictable. As I see it, both sides have potential advantages and disadvantages that can be used against each other.
Attacker advantages:
- Last to deploy up to 50% of his fleet, which is a big advantage in exploiting any weaknesses in the Imperial convoy formation. Group B can literally be used to lure the convoy into a trap, if the convoy player is not careful.
- Attack group B is located directly behind the Imperial convoy, which means they are free to launch long range attacks without retaliation.
Attacker disadvantages:
- A split force can be problematic, depending on the deployment.
Defender advantages:
- Has a single deployment zone, allowing the Imperial convoy to potentially focus all firepower on one group before moving on to the next. This depends on deployment, however, and is not a given.
- Has many extra ships, and will probably avoid damage to his warships (useful in a campaign, certainly!)
Defender disadvantages:
- Must defend some very vulnerable and slow transports, of which only the tiny caravels can turn more than 15 degrees per turn. Their low leadership makes it difficult to make special orders such as "come to new heading" or "brace for impact".

And of course, each player's advantages is the other player's disadvantage, and vice versa.

I'm tempted to work out an Ork version of this scenario...you think I should try creating separate rules for Ork transports, or simply use the Imperial ones with a vibe of "count as"?

I think the latter would be alright. The ork ships aren't really that unique in terms of rules. Though I can't imagine them building anything like a super-heavy barge. I don't want to be like GW and say "they don't even have transports! They just slap their cargo onto an asteroid and send it into the warp", but there are probably few ork empires large enough to maintain such big trade convoys.

Looks good.
You should note transport capacity values for the official bfg transports, freighters, etc as well. That way players have a better reference.

Thanks. You'll notice that the rules for freighters that I've already included are identical to the rules for "Imperial transports" from BFG. I will include a note that heavy transport models may represent either galleons or carracks, as their description in BFG: Armada mentions galleons and carracks as ship types. So just for simplicity's sake, any kind of transports involved in the game should be represented with these rules. I don't want people to used armed freighter rules from the Rogue Trader list and upgrade them with the "armed transport" option, for example

How did you make the map?

I made it in two minutes using PhotoDraw. If you need something similar, let me know. Although I'm sure a lot of people would be able to make far better maps.

[Warboss Waaazag]

I'm tempted to work out an Ork version of this scenario...you think I should try creating separate rules for Ork transports, or simply use the Imperial ones with a vibe of "count as"?

I think the latter would be alright. The ork ships aren't really that unique in terms of rules. Though I can't imagine them building anything like a super-heavy barge. I don't want to be like GW and say "they don't even have transports! They just slap their cargo onto an asteroid and send it into the warp", but there are probably few ork empires large enough to maintain such big trade convoys.

I get the feeling that Orks don't so much have "trade fleets" as armed cargo transports for bellyloads of looted gear and enormous armed transports for whole warbands. Any Ork empire that spans multiple systems and can boast of more than one shipyard is definitely going to have some enterprising Mekaniaks who speshulize in transports, either stealing ideas from Imperial wrecks or going hog wild making up their own styles.

I'd personally envision them as either slow and pig-ish with more gunz than your average Imperial cruiser or fast and lightly armed; escort to kroozer sized.

[Malika]

Sorry that I'm going totally off topic here, but I got to agree with CELS here when it comes to Ork transports, perhaps they might have a few more weapons or at least the Orks' typical stronger front armour. I'm also against the idea that the Orks copy everything the Imperial does.

You misunderstand me; I think the original Convoy scenario in the BFG rulebook is unbalanced in large battles in favour of the defender. In this scenario, I've countered that by making the victory conditions relative to the size of the battle, instead of using fixed numbers. If you read the original Convoy scenario, I think you'll see what I mean.
I hope this scenario isn't very unbalanced, but it's hard to say without having playtested it, and I will have to play it a few times before it goes in the article. The set-up isn't really very different from one of the fleet engagement scenarios, but the addition of transports makes it all a bit unpredictable. As I see it, both sides have potential advantages and disadvantages that can be used against each other.

I see what you mean! However I still think this kind of remains a problem...I mean if you have lets say a 3000 pts. fleet, they would potentially have a higher change of making it to move 30 cm than lets say a 1500 pts. fleet. I might be completely wrong here, but it's just my mind slowly waking up here! 

[CELS]

I get the feeling that Orks don't so much have "trade fleets" as armed cargo transports for bellyloads of looted gear and enormous armed transports for whole warbands. Any Ork empire that spans multiple systems and can boast of more than one shipyard is definitely going to have some enterprising Mekaniaks who speshulize in transports, either stealing ideas from Imperial wrecks or going hog wild making up their own styles.
I'd personally envision them as either slow and pig-ish with more gunz than your average Imperial cruiser or fast and lightly armed; escort to kroozer sized.

That seems appropriate, yes.

By the way, for someone who seems frustrated with the lack of feedback in his own threads, I'm a bit surprised to find you replying to this thread without offering any thoughts in regards to the opening posts what so ever.  (See the last Q of our FAQ )
Speaking of which, I hope to reply to your Prison world thread later tonight, which I hope will improve the situation

Sorry that I'm going totally off topic here, but I got to agree with CELS here when it comes to Ork transports, perhaps they might have a few more weapons or at least the Orks' typical stronger front armour. I'm also against the idea that the Orks copy everything the Imperial does.

Oh yeah. Especially when the implication is that orks didn't have such things (like titans) before they met humans. Silly, silly, silly.

I see what you mean! However I still think this kind of remains a problem...I mean if you have lets say a 3000 pts. fleet, they would potentially have a higher change of making it to move 30 cm than lets say a 1500 pts. fleet. I might be completely wrong here, but it's just my mind slowly waking up here! 

Erm... I'm not sure what you mean. A 3000 pts fleet isn't going to be any faster than a 1500 pts fleet. Their long range armament isn't necessarily going to be better either, except that in the really big battles the side that gets the first turn will have the ability to focus their long range weapons in order to take out a single enemy ship with long range weapons alone.  But that's the way it goes, and focussing all your firepower isn't always a good idea either, for several reasons. (Blast markers are important in BFG, just like Epic, though to a somewhat lesser degree)

[Warboss Waaazag]

By the way, for someone who seems frustrated with the lack of feedback in his own threads, I'm a bit surprised to find you replying to this thread without offering any thoughts in regards to the opening posts what so ever. 

Sorry about that. Anyway, it looks like you added a bunch of stuff that wasn't in the original post which I read when you first put it up. Also, I keep forgetting that everybody isn't inside my head and can't hear what I'm thinking so I don't always post my thoughts. I think this sounds very crazy, but I'm not. Really.

Anyway. I like the concept of 'transport capacity' because this can be used in ways other than just the scenario. Not to mention that it really allows a player to customize his convoy fleet according to his or her style of tactics. This kind of flexibility was really lacking in the original. I've seen your 3D sketches of each of these types of transport (with the Cobra destroyer silhouette for scale - awesome idea, by the way) and I like the rules you've made for them.

On to using the transport capacity bit. I've written a BFG/40k campaign and played it with friends at a local gaming club. It worked really well (but I think was a little too complicated in all the wrong ways). But our one main problem was the idea of transports. My stop-gap solution was to have transports, heavy transports, and super-heavy transports with a capacity of 1, 2, and 6 respectively. While this worked (in conjunction with a revised resource generation system for each system or world) I like your solution better. Primarily this is because its so detailed. Not only do you have balanced ship designs (BFG rules-wise) but you also have pictures and background on why these things exist.

I find the interweb to be full of overzealous BFG datafaxes. People are constantly making these super-ships for almost no points, with every gun and every bonus. Its really quite refreshing to see ships with flaws and vulnerabilities.

[horizon]

Hi CELS,

the introduction article to ASP is in Warp Rift 18 (publication within 2 weeks). Kage has a sample of the article (with an essential line missing... ).

So this is a reminder for you to start completing this one (or is there another Warp Rift article by someone else in the work?) for the next issue of Warp Rift.

Deadline for submissions: july 15th (though Kage knows I can be easy.....).

Oh and could you send me the map files? I'm searching the BEST method to do these things currently.

[CELS]

Anyway. I like the concept of 'transport capacity' because this can be used in ways other than just the scenario. Not to mention that it really allows a player to customize his convoy fleet according to his or her style of tactics. This kind of flexibility was really lacking in the original. I've seen your 3D sketches of each of these types of transport (with the Cobra destroyer silhouette for scale - awesome idea, by the way) and I like the rules you've made for them.

Thanks a lot. I've yet to play-test the idea, but I'll start doing it this month, I guess.

On to using the transport capacity bit. I've written a BFG/40k campaign and played it with friends at a local gaming club. It worked really well (but I think was a little too complicated in all the wrong ways). But our one main problem was the idea of transports. My stop-gap solution was to have transports, heavy transports, and super-heavy transports with a capacity of 1, 2, and 6 respectively. While this worked (in conjunction with a revised resource generation system for each system or world) I like your solution better. Primarily this is because its so detailed. Not only do you have balanced ship designs (BFG rules-wise) but you also have pictures and background on why these things exist.

Well, I admit that my solution is a bit complicated, in a way. Some people will want to use the existing rules for heavy transports and armed freighters, I'm sure. But I agree with you that customisation is what makes it appealing.

I find the interweb to be full of overzealous BFG datafaxes. People are constantly making these super-ships for almost no points, with every gun and every bonus. Its really quite refreshing to see ships with flaws and vulnerabilities.

Thanks, I absolutely agree that most BFG datafaxes out there have really nice bonuses and few, if any, weaknesses. Flaws and vulnerabilities make things interesting, in any game or even type of game

Hi CELS,
the introduction article to ASP is in Warp Rift 18 (publication within 2 weeks). Kage has a sample of the article (with an essential line missing... ).
So this is a reminder for you to start completing this one (or is there another Warp Rift article by someone else in the work?) for the next issue of Warp Rift.
Deadline for submissions: july 15th (though Kage knows I can be easy.....).

No problem what so ever, but thanks for the reminder.

Oh and could you send me the map files? I'm searching the BEST method to do these things currently.

Well, they're .mix files to be opened in Microsoft PhotoDraw. Before I send them, are you sure you have software to open them? That is, unless you just wanted the finished .jpg's. I think the best method to do these things would be to use software like Adobe Photoshop, or an open source equivalent. I use PhotoDraw, which is very easy to use and gives good results, but its drawbacks are its simplicity and the fact that no other people use it and no other programs can open PhotoDraw files (nor can PhotoDraw open layered images from other software)