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Vulgar Engines: A Game About Robots, Revanchism and (Space) Romans

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Bold Announcements for 25/9/15
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    • Also, in the interest of breaking everyone's sheets, I'm going to do some changes to military tomorrow.

    The intended changes:
    • A new Morale stat for all military units, with military quality adding to it. Every unit will get free points based on MQ.
      • Morale will have interplay with Engine of Pride.
      • Specialty training will be a sub-stat for Morale.
      • Human Plus will allow for special 'transhuman' upgrades to infantry, as well as similar morale sub-stats for vehicles and craft.
    • Visitor Adaptation will increase how many points your Vulgar Engine has- this is to buff for smaller powers primarily.
    • Changes to Dragon-class Engines.
      • Dragon-class Engines will now receive no initial speed penalty, only subtractions for points over the default value for their nation.
    • All Vulgar Engines will have new special traits available to each tier, to further specialize them and give flavor.
    • Some clarification on carrier-fighter rules.
    • An example of projects available at gamestart.
    Warning: update may experience cost overruns and stretch into Sunday.
     
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    • The Eurabian National Factfile (Havocfett's Nation List)
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    • Cornuthaum said:
    Oh really. We didn't have to steal ours and hastily paint over most of the flags. We built her from the keel up on our own!
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    We've already escalated to stealing a moon.

    We'll steal Okinawa if I have to.

    Exhack said:
    I'm going to hand out some rulings on present nation sheets presented so far tomorrow.

    Out of kindness for your GM, could I ask someone to compile a nation-player list for me and post it in this thread?
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    Space Roma (Roamers/The Wandering Fleet. @samdamandias

    Space Gundam (Free Republic of Sirtis. @Fivemarks)

    Space Big Yud(Singularitarians. @Demonic Spoon )

    Space Event Horizon (The Cradle Fleet. @FBH)

    Space Cerberus (Acolytes of Infinity. @ImperialRocketeer)

    Space Shadowruns (The Outsystem Federation. @Screwball)

    Space Cultists (Custodians of the Vault. @Deadly Snark)

    THE SLIGHTLY LESS GREAT SPACE SATAN (America. @Secretariat)

    Space Outer Heaven (The White Devil. @Shrike)

    Space Nerds (Stargazer Station. @Alectai)

    Knights of Cydonia (Republic of Cydonia. @MightyDwarf)

    Space Australia Austria (The Imperial Großdeutschland Empire. @HellHound01)

    Space Battleship Yamato 2099 (The Japanese Empire in Exile. @Cornuthaum)

    White Nationalist's Worst Nightmare (Eurabian Jihad. @Havocfett)

    Nazis on the Moon! (Nationale Weltarbeiterpartei Föderation. @Crilltic) (UPDATED HERE)

    Native Americans of the World, Unite! In Space!(Latin Alliance. @Murtox)

    To Fight Space Romans we Created Space Romans (Roman Seccessionists. @Isaacssv558)

    Space Ecoterrorists (The Greenfly Initiative. @Arkalest.)

    Space Blackwater (Tourikid Free Fleet. @Exterminatus)

    Space Russia (Koschei Federation. @SirLaggington)

    Space Animal House (House Elemia. @Lucienz)

    Smaller Than Medium Sized Space Satan Space Satan (New United States. @someguy16)

    Space Necrophages(Proteans. @TenfoldShields)

    Space Hal (Tycho. @Estro)

    Space BAHRAM (Principality of Amazonia. @Icarus)

    Space Jewish Physics (Scientific Expedition Ader. @Dekutulla)

    I think that's all of them. Most common mistake in armies is Speed values, at a glance.

    Tell me if any links are broken there's a buncha yall. Also tell me if there's a different post you'd prefer me to link for your faction.

    The descriptions are non-negotiable.
     
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    • So what are peoples thoughts on bothering with "weak" troops and ships?

    On one hand, they give you a lot of expendable flak to toss at the enemy, but on the other hand those are Command points you could be spending on more impressively armed and armored soldiers and warships.
     
    They're valuable as specialist units, point fillers, and fast-attack ships. It's extremely inefficient to buy Speed on, say, a Fast Carrier above 10 points when you could just get 10 point carriers with minimal defenses and the carrier loadout you want. In addition, they let you focus your better forces a bit more, or enable new tactical options.

    My Sa'ars, for example, mean that my fast fleets don't need to drag along a fuckslow Moxie for Survey support.
     
    Let me edit that sheet, since it's outdated.

    Man, removing my earlier sheets and posting a new sheet later means I'm no longer second on the player list. Damn my desire to stay relavent!
     
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    Demonic Spoon said:
    Let me edit that sheet, since it's outdated.

    Man, removing my earlier sheets and posting a new sheet later means I'm no longer first on the player list. Damn my desire to stay relavent!
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    Well you could just edit your original post.

    Also Uggaaah

    I'm still not sure if I'm doing the military part correct. Looking at other peoples stuff it seems like some put a bulk number into Firepower (for example) like 40, then split that between two sub-categories like Laser Cannons: 20, Nuclear Torpedos: 20

    Where other people put something like Firepower: 30, Laser Cannons: 20, Nuclear Torpedos: 30

    Which is the correct way?
     
    Yeah, but I doubt that will get the space muslims to put me back in first place.

    EDIT: I deleted my nationpost, and edited it into the second post in the thread. Relevance!
     
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    HellHound01 said:
    I'm still not sure if I'm doing the military part correct. Looking at other peoples stuff it seems like some put a bulk number into Firepower (for example) like 40, then split that between two sub-categories like Laser Cannons: 20, Nuclear Torpedos: 20

    Where other people put something like Firepower: 30, Laser Cannons: 20, Nuclear Torpedos: 30

    Which is the correct way?
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    Considering that Exhack is reworking the rules for the military, I suggest that you don't bother yourself with that right now.
     
    HellHound01 said:
    Well you could just edit your original post.

    Also Uggaaah

    I'm still not sure if I'm doing the military part correct. Looking at other peoples stuff it seems like some put a bulk number into Firepower (for example) like 40, then split that between two sub-categories like Laser Cannons: 20, Nuclear Torpedos: 20

    Where other people put something like Firepower: 30, Laser Cannons: 20, Nuclear Torpedos: 30

    Which is the correct way?
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    They're both valid, you just pay for all the points on the sheet.
     
    I still need to see how the numbers change with my Visitor Adaptation. And if it has effects on my conventional stuff at all (Which it suggests that it does, but it isn't terribly clear what actual mechanical effects it has)

    And if this makes it so that I'm not basically a gnat for daring to have non-pathetic diplomacy skills and only an okay strong military rather than an army of robocops or the sheer numbers a Diaspora can spit out.

    It definitely doesn't help that Major Enclave is really weak compared to Minor Orbital. -3 picks, +2 National Advantages (Which is worth 2 points, for a net of 29), but Minor Orbital also has bonus resources on top of their 30 points).

    I'm tempted to switch over to Minor Orbital instead, unless Major Enclave gets a buff or something. It seems to just be the worst of all worlds for all of the picks available. Too small to have a powerful military, but too big to benefit from any discounts on the high-tech stuff. And the bigger options all get flat bonuses to their resources as well.
     
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    Smaller nations do have a bonus to upgrading themselves though, so you'd have an easier time getting new national advantages and improving your other traits.
     
    Demonic Spoon said:
    Smaller nations do have a bonus to upgrading themselves though, so you'd have an easier time getting new national advantages and improving your other traits.
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    That's the problem though, Major Enclave doesn't get a bonus to upgrading. It gets +2 National Advantage Points.

    But Minor Orbital still takes it in general, as they do not suffer penalties like the bigger Orbitals do, but they get more starting points and more starting wealth--even if you translate the +2 National Advantage Points into raw points, Major Enclave is objectively inferior in every way to Minor Orbital. Since you're getting less points, no growth advantages, no bonuses to your Wealth and Production, and 200 less Command Points.

    Minor Enclave gets +1 Prosperity and Wealth, but they get a discount on the most expensive set of rules in the current game that makes them competitive. Commune meanwhile gets that trait discounted even further, and half-price Prosperity in exchange for one less point.
     
    Alectai said:
    That's the problem though, Major Enclave doesn't get a bonus to upgrading. It gets +2 National Advantage Points.

    But Minor Orbital still takes it in general, as they do not suffer penalties like the bigger Orbitals do, but they get more starting points and more starting wealth--even if you translate the +2 National Advantage Points into raw points, Major Enclave is objectively inferior in every way to Minor Orbital. Since you're getting less points, no growth advantages, no bonuses to your Wealth and Production, and 200 less Command Points.

    Minor Enclave gets +1 Prosperity and Wealth, but they get a discount on the most expensive set of rules in the current game that makes them competitive. Commune meanwhile gets that trait discounted even further, and half-price Prosperity in exchange for one less point.
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    I meant upgrading during gameplay through wealthpoints, it's not mentioned in the wikipage, but was stated by Exhack in the thread. I do agree that by what appears on the wikipage, minor orbital is strictly superior to major enclave.
     
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    Havocfett said:
    We'll steal Okinawa if I have to.
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    Sadly, the ISJSS Okinawa couldn't be weaponized. For some reason, non-weaponinzed space stations are immune to Grand Theft Spacey.

    And we'd steal it right back.


    Alectai said:
    That's the problem though, Major Enclave doesn't get a bonus to upgrading. It gets +2 National Advantage Points.

    But Minor Orbital still takes it in general, as they do not suffer penalties like the bigger Orbitals do, but they get more starting points and more starting wealth--even if you translate the +2 National Advantage Points into raw points, Major Enclave is objectively inferior in every way to Minor Orbital. Since you're getting less points, no growth advantages, no bonuses to your Wealth and Production, and 200 less Command Points.

    Minor Enclave gets +1 Prosperity and Wealth, but they get a discount on the most expensive set of rules in the current game that makes them competitive. Commune meanwhile gets that trait discounted even further, and half-price Prosperity in exchange for one less point.
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    Yeah, it gets even worse when you look at the military, since Minor Orbital also has an almost 50% larger military.
     
    So I was thinking... "How do I make the worst possible hellhole fighting force I can?"

    The Lost and the Damned

    Population
    Diaspora (27 Points to spend): The remnants of a culture and nation on Earth, banished to the stars or willingly escaped on their own with millions now living spread across several stations. -2 Prosperity, 100 Wealth and Infrastructure, +2 Homeland Support.

    National Advantages
    Rank 2 (2 points): Your nation has two National Advantages

    Superior [Warriors]
    EVERYONE FIGHTS AND EVERYONE FIGHTS WELL

    Frontier Fleet
    Rather than a slow-moving habitat, your population is based on a fleet of starships that can move between gravity wells in a matter of weeks or months. While such ships are less durable than a single massive space station, you are substantially more difficult to siege.

    National Disadvantages
    Rank 4 (+4 points): Your nation is a hellhole; expect to get hammered by whatever the GM feels to throw at you. It is entirely out of your control at this point. (Personally I would have chosen at the very least Engine of Disaster, Pariah State and Cursed by Space, plus whatever else)

    Prosperity
    Rank 0 (-2): Lacking even the most basic means to produce food and other provisions, and completely exposed to the elements. Your people desperately need to invade the Empire and claim territory, or starvation and ruination from cosmic radiation are all but inevitable. Raids on other colonies is a fact of life. Adds +1 Military Support.

    Wealth
    Rank 0 (0): Wealth Rating 120

    Infrastructure
    Rank 3 (3): Construction Rating 190

    Military Support
    Rank 4 (5): Everyone fights! Nobody quits! Your non-Engine military is 250% of the normal size, and the penalty for going over your limit is an extra 50% every interval instead of a full 100%.

    Military Quality
    Rank 2 (3): Very little ever goes wrong that can legitimately blamed on human error. Your soldiers are generally respected by the Imperials, who see you as showing your own lesser Roman virtue.

    Engine Size
    Rank 2 (4): Leviathan. That's no moon!

    Engine Complexity
    Rank 3 (6): Your engine's design is at the apex, with three metric-adjustment permutations or gimmicks that give it tremendous power and flexibility.

    Homeland Support
    Rank 2 (0): You have decent ties to several populations living in the Inner System. Your covert options may even include infiltrating the Imperial bureaucracy. Information about daily life in the Empire is common.

    Visitor Adaptation
    Rank 2 (8): Your society casually incorporates advanced Visitor technology at all levels of design. If your Vulgar Engine possesses any metric alteration effects, your regular units may weakly incorporate any single of them in some way.

    ---

    Completely lacking in any wealth and infrastructure not related to rapacious conquest, the Damned are basically Chaos traitors from 40k.

    I'm not actually playing that, but for a horde of evil space vagrants that exist only to kill and plunder, that's terrifying.
     
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    I've got an amusing idea for a Space!Britain who staged an insurrection in a major British city and then used their Vulgar Engine to steal the city.

    When the game started they'd be in the process of fleeing the Inner Solar System with their stolen city, hoping to get behind the asteroid belt before the Romans could find and catch them.
     
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