Re: (TFT) SL/A vs TFT and other stuff

[Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com>]

Tim Allan <allantj@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
> Could someone please inform me as to the pertenant differences between
> Star Leader Assult ad TFT. Is it a good and or workable system, or was
> it just the last rat to leave the sinking ship.

I happened to be looking at this just a couple of weeks ago.  I
was not terribly impressed with the S:A combat system.  I wouldn't
really call it "compatible" with TFT, though there is a paragraph on
using primitive weapons.

Basically, S:A uses a three-attribute system - Intelligence (IQ),
Prowess (PR) and Emotion (EM).  When primitive weapons are used,
the use of Melee is recommended using the following attribute changes:
"Convert Prowess to Strength and Dexterity by considering ST and DX equal
to Prowess.  Then, shift one or two points from ST to DX, or vice versa,
as desired."

S:A isn't bad for a scenario like Imperial Stormtroopers boarding a
Correllian freighter with lasers a-blazing, but it didn't seem to
migrate well (to me) to other types of encounters.  There was going to
be a whole set of Starleader modules that would make up an entire
SF RPG, but that never happened.

I like better the TFT variation published in Interplay #4 for space
combat, though it mostly describes a ship and not the mechanics of
either laser battle (though that's easy to scale up from firearm rules
in TFT) or space battles, though the article does say that the main
paricle weapons on the ship do the equivalent of 60d damage!

> Does anyone know how readily available AM, ITL and such Microgames as
> Ram Speed are. Do they still exist at reasonable prices or would I be
> better advised to look for hens teeth. 

They show up regularly on eBay, though you may have trouble with
international transactions (some people will only sell to buyers within
the USA).  The prices tend to get high at times, though.  I've passed
on a number of items that I'm still trying to get because the price got
insane.  For example, I still need a copy of Chitin:I, and there was one
that sold for about $35 US last week!  I wouldn't want to pay more than
$15 or so for it.


======================================================================
       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com
     12 Emma G Lane, Narragansett, RI  02882 - vox 401.782.9042
Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa

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