As set F inexorably rolls to its completion. Its apparent that the existing format no long is fit for purpose. Too few meaningful ship exist to be done outside the RN/USN for example. Therefore, it would be useful to understand where the priorities of the community lie to forumlate a plan for a possible next project.
I'm raising this independently, and without a personal agenda. I'll follow up with subsequent polls as we go.
As i'm unable to edit the poll. If you feel the options dont cover your vote make a new thread to make your own case and i may add it to this post
I am going to go with new mechanics. Not that I have something specific in mind but life life things evolve, unless you use the example of New Coke/Coke Classic. The game in its simplicity is at its bet. Maybe a revision would involve fog of war or moderator double blind rules.
Minor Navies fleshed out. Can't ever compete with the big 7, but theater conflicts could be were smaller, less advanced forces fight it out. Turkey vs Greece, maybe potential ABC tussle, China vs Siam. Yeh, they might not be the flashest units with a full card of SAs. BUt there is something to be said to restricting a game to not having super carriers and 6 hull point BB's.
And yes, need countries that the Soviets can beat up.
What about a “heroes’ set? Famous squadrons and the most decorated ships and subs that don’t yet have cards in the game. We could also do remakes of ships that are already in the game for specific actions.
Guadalcanal USS Washington Black Sheep Corsairs USS O’Bannon - 17 battle stars Been-Everywhere Haruna
What about a “heroes’ set? Famous squadrons and the most decorated ships and subs that don’t yet have cards in the game. We could also do remakes of ships that are already in the game for specific actions.
Guadalcanal USS Washington Black Sheep Corsairs USS O’Bannon - 17 battle stars Been-Everywhere Haruna
I was think about a potential alternative along the lines of the AAM Platoons. That could capture some of this
What about a “heroes’ set? Famous squadrons and the most decorated ships and subs that don’t yet have cards in the game. We could also do remakes of ships that are already in the game for specific actions.
Guadalcanal USS Washington Black Sheep Corsairs USS O’Bannon - 17 battle stars Been-Everywhere Haruna
I really like this idea. Even if it involves new or unit-specific SAs, it could spice up units that are already out there.
For example, one idea I’ve seen is a “USS Robin” card for HMS Victorious from her time in the Pacific in 1942. She was essentially a supporting carrier for Saratoga and would be unique in that regard.
The Guadalcanal USS Washington idea is pretty cool too, you could add in a pursuit of enemy cruisers SA, night action SA, or even a chance to avoid damage for being “undetected” to turn her more from a long range ship into a serious brawler.
A shake up of different ways to play the same units, or to also change the “year” of units to reflect a certain time period would be interesting for sure.
Another avenue is ships that famously fought with battle damage. The four-piper that the Japanese raised was never at 100%, and I think Warspite fits the category.
It's time to expand the game. I think our next deck should be something different from ships. My first preference would be a deck of Admirals, crews, and upgrades. Basically paying some of your points for SA's to add to your ships and squadrons. You could buy a Pappy Boyington to turn an American fighter into the Black Sheep Squadron, an early war AA fit that reduces your ship's AA by 2 but costs -1 points, or an experienced damage controlman to add the damage control SA to your ship.
My next choice would be a forumini starter set with a balanced set of cards for new players and an updated rule book, basically the old rules plus new mechanics that were added in later sets like installations, and any new mechanics we create.
If we choose to do ships I'd like to see a deck that isn't random units, rather one that features a campaign's order of battle, like every unit is Guadalcanal Zero or a Guadalcanal Astoria with a 1942 year. This idea could be combined with the new starter set and wouldn't necessarily have to be the size as other team decks.
If we are conservative and do another deck of ships what I really want is more completeness in fleet lineups. I'd be ok with a deck of all destroyers and minesweepers, or mostly neutrals and small powers if they are previously unrepresented classes. I would love to see every WWII class and reasonable design represented in the game one day.
Your point about destroyers is one of the tricky things with the game though; there are basically three gun lines (with slight variations of course, by virtue of SAs) for destroyers, and torpedo boats are practically identical, regardless of variations. It would be cool if for destroyers the same thing could be achieved as was done with the later stages of the Condottieri Classes or the move from the Fletcher class to the Sumner class.
University Student— Lover of Plato, Aristotle, War At Sea, Palestrina, and Mozart
It's time to expand the game. I think our next deck should be something different from ships. My first preference would be a deck of Admirals, crews, and upgrades. Basically paying some of your points for SA's to add to your ships and squadrons. You could buy a Pappy Boyington to turn an American fighter into the Black Sheep Squadron, an early war AA fit that reduces your ship's AA by 2 but costs -1 points, or an experienced damage controlman to add the damage control SA to your ship.
My next choice would be a forumini starter set with a balanced set of cards for new players and an updated rule book, basically the old rules plus new mechanics that were added in later sets like installations, and any new mechanics we create.
If we choose to do ships I'd like to see a deck that isn't random units, rather one that features a campaign's order of battle, like every unit is Guadalcanal Zero or a Guadalcanal Astoria with a 1942 year. This idea could be combined with the new starter set and wouldn't necessarily have to be the size as other team decks.
If we are conservative and do another deck of ships what I really want is more completeness in fleet lineups. I'd be ok with a deck of all destroyers and minesweepers, or mostly neutrals and small powers if they are previously unrepresented classes. I would love to see every WWII class and reasonable design represented in the game one day.
I've suggested several times throughout the expansion deck process that we should do upgrade cards a la X-Wing or TANKS/World of Tanks Miniatures Game. In your example, you add damage control, but you could have naval flavor cards, as well. Pay to get Radar Fire Control added to your ship, for example, if you're part of the USN. Or, you could allow any nation...it would be something to discuss.
Other examples would be paying to have bombs or rockets added to a fighter unit. There are many things you can do to make the game more customizable. Maybe even cards to remove a negative SA...or pay to get Expert Bomber for a land-based bomber or buy a better pilot that improves a fighter's attack vs. bombers or other fighters...
The troible with expanding the rules is getting a consensus on how.
For example. I got no intetest in cards for upgrades personally. Thats something that is better done with a universal list of upgrades imo. Admirals, naval squadrons i can a bit support but. +1 AA, +1ASW. Not a chance
I find new Game Mechanics very dangerous to the game as is; None thing wrong with going in a separate direction with that.
Some believe we are at the end of useful units to the game I believe not.
A Hero's deck is a good idea staying within the confines of the game, just give a remake if it has to be done balance between whats original or already made.
The Hood was a terrible mistake the new one was worse.