and Playability
[In the pipeline]
[In the pipeline]
UPDATE: OCTOBER 2011
Ship to Ship has been renamed as "Firepower Pass™ - The Board Game" (FPtBG™).
The latest game graphics in development are actually to replace some of the tracks below, notably the Engagement Level and Command Point tracks. I had an idea to replace that with a Command Log sheet, bringing those fucntions up off the table. A separate sheet also allows for ease of tallying (instead of tracking on the table) Command points/Command points used/Current Engagement Levels and, for overall Commanders, Engagement Levels transferred to subordinate squadrons. No erasing necessary and it provides a log of any game for comparison to future games for those so inclined. And yet I am torn because a graphic solution (the current track below) is to me ideal. In playtetsing it has become a question of table space!
As a reminder, if you have the current (Version 2.1) Firepower Pass™ rules and the errata below, there will be no need to purchase a fresh copy. The new edition, to be known as Version 3.0 of Firepower Pass™ (initiating the FPMR™ acronym) will be a graphic redesign only, incorporating the errata below.
The Firepower Pass miniatures rules will be referred to as "Firepower Pass™ Miniatures Rules" (FPMR™). The development of FPtBG™ has taken priority over the Version 3 of FPMR™. Yet the long term objective for FPMR™ is to extract the text from the current edition and re-edit, re-work and re-design the layout. For example, the story accompanying the rules and scenarios will be given over to one of my professional writer friends (boy am I lucky!) to re-work into a more cohesive whole, expanded and with additonal world-chrome. The better you know the universe of Firepower Pass, the more fun it is to fight in it!
A 3D printer is on order and if testing pans out, FPMR™ minis will be available. Let me know at info@vizpub.com if you prefer 1 mm or 2 mm holes for flight stands!
LATEST (well, ONLY) ERRATA FOR Version 2.1 of FIREPOWER PASS is AVAILABLE HERE:
NEW SEQUENCE OF PLAY, and ERRATA
268kb
- Download New SEQUENCE OF PLAY and ERRATA 2010-10-18
(PDF)
FIREPOWER PASS™ - the BOARD GAME Production DIARY
I will be adjusting the above banner once I rework the logo for FPtBG™
- Some changes here!PRELIMINARY COMPONENT LIST - in the 8.75x11.75 glossy black
box with clear plastic lid you will find:
- 23x35 full-color poster-quality map
- 200+ double-sided ship and terrain playing pieces, representing 12 classes of ships, planets, moons, asteroid fields, ion clouds and orbital installations, star forts, etc.
- I will be reducing the number of markers considerably as although using them on the ship logs is visually appealing to keep track of (specifically) Point Defense Batteries Fully Engaged, Light Attack Squadrons Scattered, and Escort Groups Scattered it keeps the logs on the table. This takes up table space and as I mentioned above, table space became an issue lately in playtesting. So adding a box on the log for the status each system affected (and yes it will be written in and erased multiple times in a game, alas) gets the logs into a pile on the table with the above mentioned Command Log sheet). So likley more like 20-40 double-sided markers will remain (Leader Cadre Ratings; Sensor Ghost markers, altitude markers, etc.)
- Rules book
- All the scenarios in Firepower Pass Miniatures Rules™ will be in FPtBG™. As usual,scenario cards and pre-printed ship logs for each scenario, which may be reproduced as needed to play
- CD with PDFs of ship logs for design-your-own scenarios
- Master Ship log sheet detailing how to fill out the logs each of the for 12 ship classes
- 2 (probably more, its good to have 5) 10-sided dice
- An Attack Chart detailing attack prerequisites and modifiers for range, electronic warfare and relative weapon-to-target scale
- Two Squadron Engagement Level and Command Point Tracks, each can handle up to 4 squadron leaders and an overall commander's command point resources and engagement level. BTW Command Points are used for non-Attack related functions like Repair, Rally and Lock-On/Breaklocks (technically Target Solutions, but play testers preferred "Lock-Ons" for the drama...)
- An Attack Track to keep track of Incoming Attack Dice; Interdiction Dice (which intercept Attack dice); and Critical Hull Damage percentages for any given attack
To download a FREE PDF 12-page copy of CURRENT TESTING COMPONENTS
including the CURRENT CHARTS and SEQUENCE OF PLAY (last 4 pages)
(Sorry, no editing permitted, and printing is at lo-res only) N.B. These have all been updated; I will post the latest actual components once I process them.3.2MB - Download (ZIP
containing PDF)
- ATTACK CHART UPDATE
SUBJECT TO PROOFING
This is the only combat reference in FPtBG™ you will need other than the ship logs themselves, oh yes and the results of your die rolls of course. THIS IS NOT A COMBAT REESULTS TABLE SYSTEM! Combat itself uses a d10 resolution system with d100 crew results, and d100 damage location, You only need the 2d10 provided in the game to play, though more can make things go faster when many-die missile salvoes and point defense erupt!
Also here is the new Dice Results track where you place your dice by value and the box it is in tells you what the result is in detail. It also shows you how to determine damage and if you need a second roll to determine severity, or if you can simply use the To Hit/Target Hull differential to deterine that:
Designers' Note: Incidentally, the Firepower Pass combat system started out as a d10 system a many years ago, and was number-crunched into the current master Firepower Pass Combat Results Table. FPtBG™ goes back to the system's roots, dispensing with the CRT. With new Ship's Logs that will be available for download for free when available, those who prefer the FPtBG™ combat system will easily be able to adapt their Firepower Pass miniatures games to it.
- MAP UPDATE
A preliminary version of the full-color 23x35 map sheet. The map has been revised since this was posted.
- SHIP COUNTER UPDATE
The playing pieces and the SAGA of PAINT: FPtBG™ will include 200+ double-sided resin playing tiles, representing all the ships in Firewpeor PAss™. Alas the experiments with Milk Paint failed. Although it does apply without primer and is environmentally sound to dispose of, it warps new wood when it soaks in and some 10-20% of our wooden pieces did not pass quality control. Even of those that did, wood just did not fit the game. So we will see how the 3D printer will do; if making the resin pieces is cost effective then that is the way I will go.
- SHIP LOGS UPDATE
I added an updated class to the Procyonese which I will be spirnkling throughout the scenarios. It is an up-missiled version of their System Patrol Ship class, Orton. In its first playtest yesterday, it was escorting 4 Claw Fleet Tenders in the same squadron. They surpised a Terran battlegroup and knocked out a Europa Class Carrier! Here are the ship logs for all classes as they stand:
- SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
The Squadron Engagement Level/Command Point tracks to has a fourth squadron's tracks now:
PLAY BY EMAIL and PLAY BY INTERNET OPTIONS
I will be offering a Cyberboard gamebox of FPtBG™ (http://cyberboard.brainiac.com/index.html), Also a gamebox for a relatively new live-play-by-internet tool (also free like Cyberboard) called ZunTzu (http://www.ZunTzu.com). The gameboxes will be available for free download on the respective games' FREE Tabs, once the FPtBG™ section of the website here is officially launched.
TARGET DATE
In view of the scenario testing still to be completed, Fall of 2011. If it is sooner I will most definitely post it here! Have other questions about FPtBG™ and our progress? Email us!
AVAILABLE NOW, the UNIVERSE UPON WHICH FPtBG™ is BASED:
FIREPOWER PASS Miniatures Rules
Game Information
For PDF and Hardcopy release
· PDF: US$15 (NEW! Version 2.1 Available now!)
· NEW! Cyberboard Play By Email Gamebox file available! (free)
· Extensive combat example (free)
· Scenario S7 now available! (free)
· Current additional releases
Description
Designed to easily control 15-20 capital ships a side (which can be 4-5 squadrons), while concentrating on squadron level tactics, Firepower Pass uses a unique command oriented system that allows units to attack as individual ships (i.e. at a tactical level) yet defend and maneuver in 3D as squadrons. Octagonal 3D movement tiles easily and elegantly depict the 2D vector of 3D movement.Features
- Individual capital ships; the capabilities of the capital ships are expanded by attaching LAC wings and escort groups for use in point defense or for launching independent strikes
- Individualized damage location tables right on each ship log
- Twenty(20) minute turns, but a side may hold the initiative for a variable number of turns (called an initiative impulse).
- Streamlined Formation displays reflecting the current Combat Commitment Level of the Squadron: a combination of staff pre-planning, tactical intelligence and analysis of that intelligence.
- Emphasis on prioritizing command resources during a turn
- Electronic Warfare influences every attack and defense
- Detection, Targeting Solutions (nick-named "Lock-ons") and Sensor GhoFPtBG™
- Rules for the influence of combat commanders on ship and squadron operations
- Gunnery and faster-than-light missile combat, LAC wings, escort groups, interdiction of missile strikes, boarding actions, and more!
Game Contents
The downloadable Zip file (or you can order a CD) contain PDFs for all the files, including:- Full color Rules
- Comprehensive Examples of play
- 11 original 3D Ship designs, depicting everything from Terran Cruisers and LAC Carriers through giant Procyonese Base Ships, rendered in Wings3D and Bryce.
- 140+ Plan View Ship pieces you can print and cut apart, named and ready for action; 100+ more with no names so you can Name Your Own!
- Templates for 3D movement Octagons, essential to play. Print them on card stock and cut apart, you only need approximately 18 to play any scenario (3 printouts). We are looking into clear plastic octagons as well as wooden ones for purchase separately, watch the accessories area to the left!
- Sheet of "Terrain" Octagons including Planets, and moons, Asteroid Belts and Ion Storms
- Seven (7) suggested
scenarios, including the two issued as .pdfs after the initial Nov 2006
release ; complete with text detailing the
progress of the war and following a series of officers on both sides
who are promoted and demoted as the war see-saws between victories and
defeats. Each scenario builds on the storyline of the previous, and
each is rated for its overall complexity.
Scenarios include:- Scenario Description
- Table set-up map and approximate space needs to play
- Tables of organization for both sides
- "Historical" scenario result
- Pre-filled Ship Logs, no need to print out & fill out, just print and play! Included in all versions in the download archive or on the accompanying CD, but also printed in the deluxe version.
- Ship logs are placed 4-up on a letter-sized or A4 page, one page per ship type, lined for cutting apart for play, a minimum of data needs to be filled in to use them (just the Ship Name, and crew values for the Ship, LAC Wings and Escort Group, provided in each scenario and on an overall Crew Rating table).
- Front and back Template for a 50 card Event Deck combining 4 of the major game tables, which prints on regular 10-up "clean-edge" Avery business card stock, or a lined version if you want to put it on card stock and print it yourself; or alternatively if you do not wish to make an Event Deck, there is an equivalent Event Table included. (I like the deck, it is actually much more convenient in play, you place a card directly next to the Squadron affected by it.)
- Charts and tables including: Combat Chronometer Chart (i.e. Time Track), Combat Results table, Damage Tables (what the results mean for different targets), Leader Casualty Results, Leadership value determination, Critical Hull Damage, Concussive Damage, Event Card Codes, Damage Definition Tables (how to mark damage)
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