A small "gossip" update to keep you in the loop.
POE is coming up to version 25. I expect about 92 versions before it is finished.
The sea fight rules are settling down, but certainly not finished. Sailing, shooting and boarding seem to be working OK.
Done some more work on struck ships.
The sail,gun,crew marker system seems to work well in terms of simplicity and player identification. paper order has been adopted too.
Some problems when ships get "boxed in". Will get out some new ideas on this.
Game length is OK.
Newer, Vietnam style, battle-clock looks good.
I may add a third option for attacker force so that Duncan and Miles can use a big warship from the outset.
Mulling over Stewart's idea of 5,6 hit followed by save.
Personally I am quite pleased with the tabs at the back of my ships. They are doing a good job of identification. The tab will not be listed as the only method of ship identification in POE, just one of many.
Land raids will need to wait until start of September before work begins. This is because the sea game is still getting a lot of much needed attention. The land raid will probably end up as independent from the sea game. This means players will agree on what sort of a game they want, sea or land. The two will not interact directly.
This leads on to the matter of mini campaigns, which will probably be done.
Minor matters
1. What do players use for their battle clock marker.
2. What do players use for exit hex identification.
3. Difference in aspect A successes only give a yes/no outcome. Is this OK.
4. Release date Feb 2019??
5. Original position marker for each ship. An outline?
More soon.
Minor maters
I use/ intend to use
1. Small warship paint ghost like.
2. Small island
3. Yes.
4. No rush, let's get it right
5.name plate.
1. I thought about getting one of the old Man o War sea monsters, there are a few on eBay under a tenner. Things like Narwhale, shark etc. Therecarecalso more fanciful ones, but in the spirit of keeping it realistic? Martin could do a similar marker or two in a pack, I am sure sharks, whales, giant squid would all be in the right C17 spirit.
2. Yes that sounds like a good idea Stewart, a small island or something similar could represent a headland so the ships were nearing shore/port and safety.
3. To be honest in am not sure what you are talking about with this one?
4. Yes it is coming on nicely but better to get it right, one of the better games so far so don't want to spoil it.
5. Do you mean to show where it starts the move from or where it initially comes on to the table from? If where it comes onto the table from then why do we need that? If where it starts its move from is this to facilitate knowing where it started from because people keep changing their minds moving ships and forget where they came from when redoing the move countless times? If so then maybe a rule of once you've moved its moved and that is it rather than a marker enabling you to keep changing your mind! Otherwise can we not just place a dice in yhe hex then remove it once the ship has moved?
I like the idea of the ability to use bigger warships from the outset. Obviously it would have to be worthwhile having that option. It is no good if you are going to be penalised for choosing that option. Would a bigger warship have more guns/sails/crew especially if the option looses smaller ships as support?
I was thinking about several ideas. A small flag to move around the table. A big wave. A sun. A compass. A clock(like that one)