Game: Full Thrust

Thread: Re: Wow...this is good, no?

parduz — 2008-10-07T20:48:06+00:00

aerial7 wrote:
... and overnight did some vector math to produce some simplified turn charts.
Any chance to see them somewhere?

Thread: Re: Wow...this is good, no?

aerial7 — 2008-04-21T10:28:05+00:00

which movement rules did you play by

the "cinematic" rules -- we'll probably just stick to those. Even so, the first reaction to the multi-step moves was very negative; my 11 yo was losing interest in the game right off the bat. So I stopped right there, and overnight did some vector math to produce some simplified turn charts.

All I did was take the "cinematic" rules and figure out for each of the allowable turns the two vectors involved and did the math to derive the equivalent single vector. So now, we just move along one of several lines which have marks for each "mu" or Velocity level....and then ensure the ship is pointing in the right direction at the end.

(If you do this same math AND get the same results I got, you find some surprising things about the movement system.....)

Anyway, this works better for us -- you can sorta see where you want to be and practically read off the move orders to effect that movement. Even so, it'll take us awhile to be completely comfortable with this movement system -- that's one of the things that was a bit interesting about Starmada.....

Thread: Re: Damage Control when?

aerial7 — 2008-04-21T10:17:55+00:00

Very tired this morning, but I think I found it in the rules last night before I fell asleep: in More Thrust it says that DC is done at the end of the turn....

Thread: Re: Wow...this is good, no?

DWTripp — 2008-04-21T03:00:34+00:00

A superb system. I played many, many, many hours of FT back in the late 80's and early 90's. We found that sticking close to the basic rules was more satisfying in the long run. One of the best things about the experience was the sheer variety of different models players would bring to the table. I used to own a felt star map from Geo-Hex that we played on which made the sessions look as good as they played.

Enjoy!

Thread: Re: Wow...this is good, no?

abodi — 2008-04-21T02:52:40+00:00

hi i have the rules buit not played by them yet.

which movement rules did you play by,

as there is 3 different movement rules depending on the suppliments you may be using.

Thread: Re: Damage Control when?

aerial7 — 2008-04-21T02:29:05+00:00

Weird....that's been the most challenging thing discovering this game so recently: you have to take several different books issued at different points in time and try to distill those into a coherent ruleset.

I do hope FT 3.0 comes along and consolidates everything into a single comprehensive rulebook.....

For now, I'll go with that -- DC happens at the end of the turn....

Thread: Wow...this is good, no?

aerial7 — 2008-04-21T02:25:51+00:00

So we tried it out....My kids are 9 and 11, and after our 3rd battle -- with all 3 of us, them attacking me -- I asked for their rating of the game.

They both blurted out "9"! I was incredulous -- I pointed out that meant this was their favorite game in the entire collection. Apparently, that's what they were trying to say! I can't recall this level of enthusiasm for any game.....except possibly X-Bugs.....

Granted, it's early days for FT, at least for us. The 9 yo relishes (mis-)piloting his ship and winding up in crazy places, whereas the 11 yo is the cold, calculating captain -- and yes, he won this battle! They're a little upset I won't throw in all the rules -- we've stuck to a few small ships and beam weapons only so far.

I think the best thing about it is its relative simplicity and its awesome damage model. Not just a matter of trying to attrit shields to to see who runs away....in FT, it's only a matter of turns before somebody's ejecting their core or worse.... They love it when ships are disabled, careening out of control on their last course and speed....or desperately pre-occupied with getting life support back online....

I think for them there's also the sense the game is more fluid, that the tempo of things is quicker and therefore tactics are a bit easier to "see"....whereas with BattleLore and other games I think they basically just go for optimal moves turn-to-turn and without any real plan. My older kid basically started with a game plan, executed and adapted it perfectly, and won, even though he could never have predicted the way things unfolded. Good stuff....

It's so easy to set up and tear down....I can definitely see their imaginations painting out entire multi-month campaigns for us.

(We've also looked at the rules for Starmada, and its movement system does seem a bit more attractive, but other than that, we think FT just works best for us. I do hope the long-awaited, supposedly still in-development FT 3.0 rules get published....)

Thread: Re: Damage Control when?

Orcoteuthis — 2008-04-20T21:13:24+00:00

We've been doing it at the end of each turn ... but I can't seem to find anything in the rulebooks supporting that. Hm.

Thread: Damage Control when?

aerial7 — 2008-04-20T20:04:19+00:00

My kids and I just discovered FT....so far, we're really enjoying it but one thing I can't find in any of the rules anywhere is when DC parties do their thing..... It seems to be as soon as the damage occurs, but I'm not sure about that.

Thread: Re: Full Thrust Lite

Orcoteuthis — 2008-04-19T08:00:38+00:00

The biggest difference from 2e seems to be the option for multiple sublight drives. All the example ships have two, meaning that, since drives are now apparently destroyed in one go, they'll behave much like current ships, but new designs could have different numbers.

Thread: Full Thrust Lite

Bwian — 2008-04-16T17:39:58+00:00

Just thought I'd let everyone know that Full Thrust Lite is available at http://www.groundzerogames.net/index.php?option=com_content&...§ionid=9&id=29&Itemid=50. It's a two page intro to Full Thrust, available for free download. Apparently it's also an early look at the long (long, long) promised 3rd edition.

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megadoux — 2008-03-30T14:02:44+00:00

New Style Federal Stats Europa Heavy Carrier example (painted)

Thread: Re: Bablyon 5 Flavour...

synistar — 2008-03-11T18:43:47+00:00

I own a copy of this that includes the counters (unpunched, on thin cardstock). Seems pretty nicely done. I just need to convince some folks to play. Other "unofficial" FT customizations for various backgrounds (including Star Trek and Star Wars) can be found here:

http://www.homegame.org/siefert/uftwwwp/html/back.htm

Thread: Re: Where do I get a copy in the US

synistar — 2008-03-11T18:38:12+00:00

You can also get a Babylon 5 customized version of the rules in the "Earthforce Sourcebook" supplement for the Chameleon Eclectic version of the Babylon 5 Roleplaying Game. Used book stores (try alibris.com) and Amazon Marketplace seem to have copies available.

Thread: My two first games of Full Thrust

Orcoteuthis — 2008-02-16T17:08:01+00:00

I finally got a game of this together today. We liked it so much we immediately played another.

The first game was the introductory scenario from the rulebook, featuring identical fleets of two light cruisers and three frigates a piece. With the fleets approaching in along antiparallel but offset vectors and each admiral trying to a) keep his fleet together and b) get into the enemy's aft arcs manoeuvring amounted to the two fleets circling one another in a tigthening spiral. Both sides were suffering about equal damage until my opponent got lucky with a four-dice salvo and inflicted eight points of damage on my unhurt cruiser, effectively crippling it as two of its batteries were destroyed. After that it was a rout, with my ships quickly finished off.

For the next game, we used the ship construction rules from Fleet Book 1 and constructed a big heavy cruiser with level-2 screens and lots of big guns (1 level 3, 4 level 2, and 1 level 1 batteries) along with three little destroyers with a mixture of guns and needlebeams, again using identical fleets.

We swiftly found out, the hard way, that the destroyers were no match at all for the cruisers, one on each side losing all armament in the first turn of fire after inflicting triffling damage on the opposing cruiser. Certainly, we had some bad luck on the systems checks, but losing more than ½ of HP in one salvo speaks for itself. Being a bit hard of learning, I lost another destroyer outright a couple turns later as it tried to sneak up on the enemy cruiser behind but found itself still in the fire arc of some guns and was shot to bits. The enemy destroyers, wisely, turned wide away from my cruiser.

The battle was thus to be decided by the cruiser clash. Thanks to deft manoeuvring (or so I tell myself - you'd be entirely justified in suspecting dumb luck) I managed to get mine behind his, and with a couple of turns of fire knock out some of his guns as well as, crucially, his thrusters. Thus crippled, it was quickly finished as my remaining effective destroyer zoomed into its rear arc and helped blast it at short range.

The enemy destroyers made good their escape, but trading one destroyer for a heavy cruiser can only be considered a victory for my side.

I like this game very much. Time to paint up some spaceship models, methinks ...

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JayAdan — 2008-02-10T17:37:59+00:00

Full Thrust Battlestar Galactica at Gencon 2007

Thread: Re: PDAF and fighters attacking a ship

Bugman67 — 2008-02-08T21:01:02+00:00

Our game group has always played it as once the owner of the fighters declares his attack, then the PDAF open fire. The fighter player then resolves combat with any remaining fire.

I believe it is the rule book that fighter target declartion is at the same time as the missle....I remeber there being an order to the process just do not remember the right page in the book right now .(not poitive as I am at work). I will look it up when I get home tonight and post for you

Also PDAF can only shot at fighters that are attacking the ship the PDAF are on. ADAF can shoot at any attacking fighters within range.

We felt like the PDAF are set to an automatic mode and only target the fighters when they start their attack runs.

Hope this helps!

-G-

Thread: Re: PDAF and fighters attacking a ship

Orcoteuthis — 2008-02-08T20:54:35+00:00

Thanks for the tip. I'll try there too.

Thread: Re: PDAF and fighters attacking a ship

elbmc1969 — 2008-02-08T20:34:43+00:00

You might do better asking this on the message boards over at Starship Combat News or on The Miniatures Page.

Thread: PDAF and fighters attacking a ship

Orcoteuthis — 2008-02-08T19:46:37+00:00

A PDAF can be fired at and only at fighters "that are actually attacking the ship equipped with the system". Since the PDAF is fired before the fighters get to roll their attacks, it's not perfectly clear to me how the status of "actually attacking" is determined.

More concretely:

i) A fighter groups moves within 6" of an enemy ship. Can the fighters declare they're not "actually attacking" it, thus avoiding any PDAF fire at the cost of not getting to fire themselves either?

ii) A fighter groups moves to within 6" of two different enemy ships with PDAF systems. When do the fighters have to declare which (if any) they're attacking? Can they hold off deciding till the enemy player activates one of the ships concerned or do they have to declare before any firing is resolved? For that matter, do they have to declare before any remaining enemy fighter groups move?

Similarly for for ADAF systems firing at fighters attacking friendly ships.

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skrybble — 2008-02-04T00:30:38+00:00

These and my other ships were built from the internal bits of disposable cameras.

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skrybble — 2008-02-03T22:23:45+00:00

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skrybble — 2008-02-03T22:22:59+00:00

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skrybble — 2008-02-03T22:21:21+00:00

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skrybble — 2008-02-03T22:20:16+00:00

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skrybble — 2008-02-03T22:19:01+00:00

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Barn — 2008-01-27T20:57:06+00:00

Terran Fighters and Fighter Bombers descend on a lone Carnivoran light cruiser

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Barn — 2008-01-27T20:09:36+00:00

Another view of Grey One and Blue Two departing the Formidable

Thread: Re: Review by SOS (from 1995)

TFFL — 2007-12-11T11:36:28+00:00

A nice review. I only discovered this game even existed yesterday, and now it's soaked up a bit of interest - might even grab a copy thanks to this review

Thread: Re: Where do I get a copy in the US

echdareez — 2007-08-04T05:56:32+00:00

Thanks a lot Frank for the reply : I'm not Sebastian but I liked your helpful tip ;-)
Appreciated!

Thread: Re: Where do I get a copy in the US

Upuaut — 2007-07-29T16:32:58+00:00

Hello Sebastian,

Ok, it´s a while since you posted your question. But in case you are still looking for the rules, I have good news for you and all interested. Because the rules are out of print GZG released the rules on the site for free download. Just look here: http://www.groundzerogames.net/index.php?option=com_content&...

Best regards.

Thread: Review by SOS (from 1995)

sos1 — 2007-02-11T14:30:51+00:00

[2007 note: this review was first published in 1995. Since then there have been many more space combat games, and I confess I haven’t tried them all. But I still love this one.]

Space Combat!

I've always loved games of spaceship battles. The first one I ever played is still one of the best: GDW's Triplanetary. Since then I've tried a score of space ship combat games: some are good, some are poor, some are mediocre. The best ones are those that represent vector movement in a simple, playable manner - the main reason Triplanetary is still a great game.

Full Thrust, a set of miniatures rules for space ship combat, is one of the few games that surpasses Triplanetary. Nominated for the Origins award on the 1995 ballot, it lost out to Blood Bowl as best miniatures rules. But in my book, it wins hand down. This is by far the simplest and most-playable vector movement rules I've ever seen. Other games may have more intricate rules that return more realistic results, but Full Thrust combines extreme playability with very satisfactory vector movement. In my book, if a system is only 10% as complicated as another system but returns 90% of the realism, the simpler rules system is by far the better one.

Ship Movement and Log

The game runs very smoothly and intuitively. Each ship has a thrust rating, usually from 2 to 8. Each player has a ship log, a simple piece of paper with a line for each ship – nothing else is needed. Each player plots his ship orders and they are revealed simultaneously. A written order is easy to write - a sample might look like:
[c]
Ship Vel Order Vel Order Vel Order Vel Order Vel
A 4 +2,S1 6
B 6 P2 6
C 12 - 12

[/c]Key:

Ship: the ship identifier, usually on the model base.

Vel: current velocity at the start of the turn. After each order, add the change in velocity to the previous velocity, and record the result under the next Vel heading.

Order: + or - means change in velocity, S or P means turn to port or starboard a number of points.

So ship A is increasing its velocity from 4 to 6 (“+2”) and is turning one point to starboard (right) (“S1”). Ship B is maintaining its current velocity and is turning two points to port (left) (“P2”'). Ship C has no change in either course or velocity: it goes straight ahead its current velocity of 12”, which will also be its velocity at the start of the next order phase.

A turning template that fits over a ship model is provided with the game. A point is simply one twelfth of a circle, or 30 degrees. Ships turn half of their points at the beginning of movement, and half at the mid-point of movement. So ship B would turn one point to the left, move three inches, turn another point to the left, then move a final three inches.

A ship may change velocity by its current thrust rating. It may change course by half its current thrust rating at most. Change in velocity and change of course combined cannot exceed current thrust rating. A ship rated with Thrust 8 is therefore much more maneuverable than one rated with Thrust 2.

Custom Ship Types

The game lists standard ships of different sizes, and has extensive rules on customizing your own, using a point-based system. Various weapon types are provided: beam weapons, pulse torpedoes, missiles, fighters, mines, needlers, submunition packs, etc. Some weapons can fire in narrow arcs, others in wider arcs - but you pay more points for the privilege. Shields and point and area defenses can protect a ship, and there are miscellaneous other systems as well. Each is rated for the space it takes up in a ship and point cost. The cost of a better thrust engine is related to hull size - all fairly simple and logical.

Damage

The game has a simple critical hit system that is very enjoyable. Each ship has one or more “threshold” points, depending on the size of the ship. When a ship takes enough damage to move it over a threshold, the owning player rolls a die for each system on the ship. A roll of six means the system is hit critically, and is out of commission. However, a successful damage control roll later can reactivate most systems. Hitting the engines the first time cuts the thrust rating in half, and hitting it a second time breaks it entirely - no more change of course or velocity until a damage control party can repair it.

Various other rules, such as for asteroids and space stations, and some scenario suggestions are also provided. The supplement, More Thrust, details more rules, some alien races, tournament rules, and more scenarios. While not mandatory, More Thrust can enhance your enjoyment of the game - especially the new fighter rules.

Summing Up

The net effect of these rules is a game that runs smoothly and easily and most enjoyably. Add a nice star map and some good-looking ship models and you have a visually stunning game, as well. All in all, Full Thrust is highly recommended to any science fiction gamer.

Thread: Re: Miniatures in the US

techtonik shyft — 2005-10-25T10:40:29+00:00

Though I can't answer your question at this time, I can point you in the right direction.

Try looking on this website: www.star-ranger.com

Its a great resource for all starship combat games.

Failing that, try Ground Zero Games themselves. www.gzg.com

They are British, but I'm sure they ship overseas and I'm sure they will have a far better selection of Full Thrust minis than anyone else - by virtue of Full Thrust being their invention!

Thread: Miniatures in the US

watcher_b — 2005-10-21T19:50:20+00:00

Where is a good place to get miniatures in the US (preferably online, but definately not required)?

Thread: Full Thrust

ShaunGamer — 2005-10-05T04:50:03+00:00

This has to be one of the best combat games for space fleets. Not only did it have large support from the online community (before it was released for free), it has remained popular after newer games have entered the market.

Why is that? I believe FT offers something that few large scale fleet battle rules can. Short game times with highly detailed combat and ships.

The main rulebook is sufficent to give you a lot of play options, with both basic and advanced rules. FT has one of the better approximations of vector movement I have seen in a space game, without all of the computations and pedantic measuring.

However the Fleet Books are where the real enhancements are found.
FB1 has rule alternatives for those that want a more "realistic" game. It also includes all of the ship displays for the main human races (miniatures are available from any good wargaming store.)
FB2 has rules and displays for ships of three alien races that are distinctly different. This adds variety to the game, causing changes to tactics and strategies.
That is the other great thing about FT, it is generic. You can play with your favorite background, using miniatures you already own.

The only bad thing is that there is a learning curve as you add more of the advanced rules into your games. It is extremely hard to introduce new players to the game if you are using all of the options and variants.

The Game does get a bit bogged down if you use a large number High powered ships or lots of ordinance, but FT doesn't reach this threshold as quickly other rulesets in this genre.

Overall, Full Thrust's good points more than outweigh any deficiencies it may have.

Thread: Do you want to play a game?

techtonik shyft — 2005-06-03T12:27:24+00:00

Are there any UK Full Thrust players out there wanting to play? (Sheffield/Chesterfield area).

Thread: FT 2nd Ed. rulebooks...

Corbeau — 2005-05-26T05:30:26+00:00

... are now available from the Ground Zero Games website. Just a friendly little heads-up.

Thread: Where do I get a copy in the US

chaosbreaker — 2005-05-03T00:17:17+00:00

Is there any etailer that carry this item?

Thread: Bablyon 5 Flavour...

pete_darby — 2004-11-26T20:16:53+00:00

A cut down version of Full Thrust was placed in the Bablyon Project RPG supplement Earth Force: it used the optional vector movement rules from the Full Thrust rulebook, and was supposed to include a sheet of counters to use: famously, the UK printing omitted these.