Battlefleet: Gothic: Armada

[shadow_archmagi]

But.. There are no Wormholes in the 40k verse. Okay, Warp portals, somewhat. But they seem pretty random, and make you go through the Warp. I doubt Tyranids would be able to use them, or the Tau to go into them

There's a stable go-directly-to portal in Deathwatch that goes straight to Tauland.

[Cikomyr]

There's a stable go-directly-to portal in Deathwatch that goes straight to Tauland.

Really? What is it called? Sounds useful

[Narkis]

You don't really need a portal though. Just have the expansion campaign set in Tauland. The Orks and the Imperium are already there, the Tyranids are somewhere in the vicinity afaik, the Eldar and Chaos could easily show up and you could just have another Necron world awaken. Just like in DoW:Dark Crusade.


Or don't have another campaign at all, and let the player's imagination run wild about where their skirmishes are located. There, problem solved.

[Blackhawk748]

Hey whoa Soulstorm was a solid improvement over Dark Crusade except for the singleplayer! But sisters of battle, dark eldar, and various UI improvements (in particular, the ability to automate certain upgrades you couldn't before) were great. The campaign was a bit natch, I'll admit, but it's not like Dark Crusade was that much better.

Well since i only ever played single player Im not saying it was all bad, but the Sisters and the Dark Eldar coulda use a bit more refinement and the Guard felt even squishier than before. Basically im saying its the worst of the first round of Dawn of War, that still makes it pretty good.

[Forum Explorer]

You don't really need a portal though. Just have the expansion campaign set in Tauland. The Orks and the Imperium are already there, the Tyranids are somewhere in the vicinity afaik, the Eldar and Chaos could easily show up and you could just have another Necron world awaken. Just like in DoW:Dark Crusade.


Or don't have another campaign at all, and let the player's imagination run wild about where their skirmishes are located. There, problem solved.

There even is an active Necron world nearby. The Tyranids tried to go around it but the Necrons decided to mess them up anyways. The Tau tried to say thanks so the Necrons wiped them out as well.

Chaos is pretty much everywhere anyways, as are Eldar/Dark Eldar, so yeah, boom, every faction represented.

[Cikomyr]

You don't really need a portal though. Just have the expansion campaign set in Tauland. The Orks and the Imperium are already there, the Tyranids are somewhere in the vicinity afaik, the Eldar and Chaos could easily show up and you could just have another Necron world awaken. Just like in DoW:Dark Crusade.


Or don't have another campaign at all, and let the player's imagination run wild about where their skirmishes are located. There, problem solved.

Isnt it Battlefleet Gothic?

Isnt the Gothic sector the point of the campaign and system?

[shadow_archmagi]

Isnt it Battlefleet Gothic?

Isnt the Gothic sector the point of the campaign and system?

I'm pretty sure the point of the system is to have sweet spaceship fights.

[Narkis]

Isnt it Battlefleet Gothic?

Isnt the Gothic sector the point of the campaign and system?

And it's in the Warhammer universe. Do you see any hammers around?

[Razade]

And it's in the Warhammer universe. Do you see any hammers around?

Yeah, all over the place. The Thunder Hammer ring a bell? Daemonhammer? Place is dripping with hammers. Especially before they ruined Warhammer Fantasy with Age of Making More Money. That's not the point though. It's called Battlefleet Gothic because the setting takes place in the Gothic Sector.

[Artanis]

The original TT game was based around the Gothic War, yes. However, it later got expansions that introduced races beyond the four that it started with because things CAN grow beyond their original name, after all.

[Cikomyr]

The original TT game was based around the Gothic War, yes. However, it later got expansions that introduced races beyond the four that it started with because things CAN grow beyond their original name, after all.

That's all fine and good. But the point i was making is that the story of the Gothic War pushed the local Imperium, cutoff from the rest of the Galaxy, to re-research "old wisdoms" technology to upgrade their ships with better techs.

Hence why there are special upgrades available. If its not the Gothic War, then these upgrades shouldnt be available.

The system and the story are somewhat linked

[The Glyphstone]

That's all fine and good. But the point i was making is that the story of the Gothic War pushed the local Imperium, cutoff from the rest of the Galaxy, to re-research "old wisdoms" technology to upgrade their ships with better techs.

Hence why there are special upgrades available. If its not the Gothic War, then these upgrades shouldnt be available.

The system and the story are somewhat linked

Unless the 'story' of the game takes place post-Gothic War, where the 'old wisdom' tech in question is now available to the rest of the Navy for refits/upgrades.

[Vaz]

That's all fine and good. But the point i was making is that the story of the Gothic War pushed the local Imperium, cutoff from the rest of the Galaxy, to re-research "old wisdoms" technology to upgrade their ships with better techs.

Hence why there are special upgrades available. If its not the Gothic War, then these upgrades shouldnt be available.

The system and the story are somewhat linked

Or perhaps it is using the name to make a sale of the expansions. Like how Apple don't really sell Apples. But they sell iPods, and people bought iPhones on the strength of a recognisable brand.

[Ricky S]

Does anyone still play the tabletop version?

[shadow_archmagi]

Does anyone still play the tabletop version?

I'm sure some people do, but it was officially discontinued, so it's kinda tough to get into even by the standards of tabletops.

[Voidhawk]

Does anyone know what time the Beta becomes available? I know it's today, but I can't find any information anywhere.
EDIT: Nevermind, found it. It should go up between 7 and 9pm CET.

[Cikomyr]

Hmm.. Wouldn't a Chaos Campaign be feasible eventually as an expansion?

[Kane]

Really? What is it called? Sounds useful

Can't remember, but it's in the Rogue Trader and Deathwatch TTRPG sourcebooks. Referenced in the Dark Heresy ones obliquely. The Calixis sector's margin crusade is being launched through the warpgate, ie, being executed on the other side of the galaxy. Gate is vastly ancient, probably necrontyr, and unexplained.

That's all fine and good. But the point i was making is that the story of the Gothic War pushed the local Imperium, cutoff from the rest of the Galaxy, to re-research "old wisdoms" technology to upgrade their ships with better techs.

Hence why there are special upgrades available. If its not the Gothic War, then these upgrades shouldnt be available.

The system and the story are somewhat linked

Really not sure where you're getting this.


Beta is now live, apparently with only Imperium and Chaos available at current.

[Forum Explorer]

Does anyone still play the tabletop version?

Yeah, I've got a fleet and I play with a few friends. Making new fleets is pretty hard now though.

That's all fine and good. But the point i was making is that the story of the Gothic War pushed the local Imperium, cutoff from the rest of the Galaxy, to re-research "old wisdoms" technology to upgrade their ships with better techs.

Hence why there are special upgrades available. If its not the Gothic War, then these upgrades shouldnt be available.

The system and the story are somewhat linked

Eh, not really? For example, have the next campaign be from the perspective of an Inquisitor, or a Mechanicus Explorator fleet and the special upgrades would work pretty much just the same.

[Cikomyr]

Eh, not really? For example, have the next campaign be from the perspective of an Inquisitor, or a Mechanicus Explorator fleet and the special upgrades would work pretty much just the same.

Except.. The idea of actually upgrading an active fleet is.. Not really Imperial in mentality. Unless pushed to desperation, as during the Gothic War, its not really in the Imperium's character to push for active upgrading of material.

Sure, using Gothic-upgraded ship after the War is fine. But an active campaign? Its basically disregarding the setting to push for gameplay feature. Which is just a bit sad in my opinion. BFG Gothic had such a brilliant explanation for its own system.

[Artanis]

Really not sure where you're getting this.

Agreed.

AFAIK, the only "upgrade" that the IoM did during the Gothic War was that they temporarily stopped shooting at the Eldar long enough for the space-elves to help beat Chaos.

[Cikomyr]

Agreed.

AFAIK, the only "upgrade" that the IoM did during the Gothic War was that they temporarily stopped shooting at the Eldar long enough for the space-elves to help beat Chaos.

Errr.. I got this part in the 40k wiki

There remained some hope for the Imperial Navy in the form of an Adeptus Mechanicus facility located on a desolate moon orbiting the gas giant in the Lukitar System. The Tech-priests there had already been researching the wisdom of their predecessors in order to uncover knowledge that would help them develop more powerful weapon systems, more efficient starship drives and better Void Shield generators. A few Imperial vessels were outfitted with these improved systems, but the results were never entirely satisfactory

Its not valid?

[Forum Explorer]

Except.. The idea of actually upgrading an active fleet is.. Not really Imperial in mentality. Unless pushed to desperation, as during the Gothic War, its not really in the Imperium's character to push for active upgrading of material.

Sure, using Gothic-upgraded ship after the War is fine. But an active campaign? Its basically disregarding the setting to push for gameplay feature. Which is just a bit sad in my opinion. BFG Gothic had such a brilliant explanation for its own system.

No, it entirely is. Or rather, pushed to desperation is a really common state for any war that has 5 or more factions in it.

Seriously, have the next campaign be fighting against a Hive Fleet near the Tau borders and you've got the exact same recipe, just with Nids instead of Imperium.

Alternatively, simply have the next campaign play as someone like the Tau, or the Nids, as both groups have tons on innovation and upgrades anyways.

[Artanis]

Errr.. I got this part in the 40k wiki



Its not valid?

*looks it up*

First, the research station was already researching long before the war started. Researching "old wisdom" is quite literally the AdMech's religion.

Second, according to the mention in the rulebook, a few ships were outfitted with systems that were a small improvement. Nothing like whole new strategically-relevant abilities. Just one ship having slightly stronger shields, or being a little bit better at shooting down torpedoes before they hit.

If an AdMech station could do that in one sector, then it could do that in others.

[Cikomyr]

No, it entirely is. Or rather, pushed to desperation is a really common state for any war that has 5 or more factions in it.

Seriously, have the next campaign be fighting against a Hive Fleet near the Tau borders and you've got the exact same recipe, just with Nids instead of Imperium.

Alternatively, simply have the next campaign play as someone like the Tau, or the Nids, as both groups have tons on innovation and upgrades anyways.

Id love to have Tau and Nids, but if they want an expansion-campaign, id go with simple perspective switch, and allow to play a Chaos Admiral under Abandon

[Forum Explorer]

Id love to have Tau and Nids, but if they want an expansion-campaign, id go with simple perspective switch, and allow to play a Chaos Admiral under Abandon

No thanks. I want something new with an expansion, not the same game from the other side of the table.

[Cikomyr]

No thanks. I want something new with an expansion, not the same game from the other side of the table.

It would be the cheapest new campaign to have. No need to redesign a whole new sector and characters.

Add to that expansion a new faction, like the Necrons, and it justify the new price.

Then make your next expansion a full-fledged new campaign on the Eastern Galactic Arm, with TWO new factions; Tau and Tyranids. The game is about the incoming uber-onslaught of a Hive Fleet

[Forum Explorer]

It would be the cheapest new campaign to have. No need to redesign a whole new sector and characters.

Add to that expansion a new faction, like the Necrons, and it justify the new price.

Then make your next expansion a full-fledged new campaign on the Eastern Galactic Arm, with TWO new factions; Tau and Tyranids. The game is about the incoming uber-onslaught of a Hive Fleet

Why wait? Seriously. I'd rather they do the Eastern one first and just have Necrons as a stand alond campaign. (Such as fighting off the World Ship)

[Kane]

Errr.. I got this part in the 40k wiki



Its not valid?

I would trust Lexicanum over 40kwiki pretty much any day of the week.
I can't tell you exactly how valid that fluff is. I've never heard of it elsewhere. As others have pointed out though, despite common exaggeration, researching and upgrading really isn't blasphemy to the Adeptus Mechanicus- provided its done responsibly and in moderation.

It would be the cheapest new campaign to have. No need to redesign a whole new sector and characters.

Add to that expansion a new faction, like the Necrons, and it justify the new price.

Then make your next expansion a full-fledged new campaign on the Eastern Galactic Arm, with TWO new factions; Tau and Tyranids. The game is about the incoming uber-onslaught of a Hive Fleet

Agreeing with Forum Explorer here, plus- the campaign is pretty clearly set up "Imperial Admiral, defending Imperial Sector, Chaos attacks"- To just reskin the campaign it would have to be, what, a Chaos Admiral a Chaos sector (small chaos empire probably works better) against an Imperial Crusade or something.

I think it'd be pretty easy to reskin the mechanics as say, a Tau sept taking a flank of the Damocles Gulf crusade to the face. Or that with Tyranids/Necrons showing up in the middle of it.



Good news, everyone: Beta exists, is playable, and fun. Bad news: It's a beta, lots of display glitches (mostly text not totally being visible or appearing in screen; might be worse because I have a 4:3 monitor currently) and several CTDs plus a couple of crashes that just turn my computer off. Nothing really gory, no endless lockups, horrific feedback loops or anything like that.

Oh, and I'm getting spanked in multiplayer, but maybe someday I'll be able to git gud.

[Misery Esquire]

Good news, everyone: Beta exists, is playable, and fun. Bad news: It's a beta, lots of display glitches (mostly text not totally being visible or appearing in screen; might be worse because I have a 4:3 monitor currently) and several CTDs plus a couple of crashes that just turn my computer off. Nothing really gory, no endless lockups, horrific feedback loops or anything like that.

Oh, and I'm getting spanked in multiplayer, but maybe someday I'll be able to git gud.

My only Beta-type complaints so far is a strange feeling about their font choice, WASD not actually being the camera controls despite it saying they were, the arrow-key screen movement locking out when ships are selected sometimes, the ships refuse to be selected occasionally,* and the fact that I can't rebind Zoom In/Out yet.

More important than the points above though, is that it is enjoyable. Thoroughly amusing. Not blown away by the quality in the first Skirmish matches, - Played a hilarious game. Opinion changed. MILDLY AMAZED - it has an excellent feel to the play, and once the problems are sorted out, and this being a Beta the chances are good they will be, it'll be a solid game.

Side note ; Ramming is great. Not necessarily good, though.
(Watching a Chaos cruiser be spun helplessly in a circle by an escort for about thirty seconds is probably not actually worth the life of that escort. But it is hilarious.)

Edit :: * Realised that its Insubordination, but the game doesn't indicate that's what happened very clearly.