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Always upvote BFG

I've also started 3d printing off BFG ships again recently, and a friend in my playgroup found the weapons battery table irritating and wrote up a mathematically-equivalent (though more random) alternate system. I've summarized it below and would be interested to hear what folks think of it.

Instead of using the gunnery table roll 1d6 to hit per point of firepower. All shots hit on 4+, with the following modifiers:
* +1 if the target's attitude is Closing
* +1 for close range (within 15cm/6")
* +2 and ignore attitude if the target is Defense or a stationary vessel
* -1 for firing through blast markers
* -1 if the target's attitude is Abeam
* -1 if the target is an Escort
* -1 for long range (outside 30cm/12")
* -2 and ignore attitude if the target is Ordnance

All further references to a left column shift are replaced with +1 to hit, all further references to a right column shift are replaced with -1 to hit. Shots always hit on 6 or miss on 1 regardless of modifiers.

Hits proceed to roll against the target's armour to do damage as normal.

Not sure this is a simplification?
That's a lot of modifiers. Sure, the gunnery table takes some time getting used to, but imo, it's not really complicated but rather an unusual wargame element.

It isn't really a simplification since it's got all the same modifiers as the battery table does, my friend disliked needing to keep flipping back to the table and wanted a system that was easier to memorize.

Taking a moment to express my appreciation for what you have done here. I know how much work goes into formatting and editing a properly laid-out publication, and you deserve some sort of medal for your commitment!

Thank you, and well done!

Likewise, thank you for sharing this compilation, Hanskrampf!

v1.03
I fixed a few minor spelling and punctuation errors.
Brace for Impact was expanded with more 2010 FAQ/Errata paragraphs, I'm not sure why I didn't include it initially. This has some influence of the rest of the Damage section, which flows a bit differently now.
Also added some original game designer names that weren't included in the 2010 version I had (Final Draft all-in-one, and not the single file 2010 PDFs).

Updated the links in the OP, but here they are again:

Web/Mobile version: -deleted-

Print files (see infos in OP):
-deleted-
-deleted-

Excellent

 AnomanderRake wrote:
I've also started 3d printing off BFG ships again recently, and a friend in my playgroup found the weapons battery table irritating and wrote up a mathematically-equivalent (though more random) alternate system. I've summarized it below and would be interested to hear what folks think of it.

Instead of using the gunnery table roll 1d6 to hit per point of firepower. All shots hit on 4+, with the following modifiers:
* +1 if the target's attitude is Closing
* +1 for close range (within 15cm/6")
* +2 and ignore attitude if the target is Defense or a stationary vessel
* -1 for firing through blast markers
* -1 if the target's attitude is Abeam
* -1 if the target is an Escort
* -1 for long range (outside 30cm/12")
* -2 and ignore attitude if the target is Ordnance

All further references to a left column shift are replaced with +1 to hit, all further references to a right column shift are replaced with -1 to hit. Shots always hit on 6 or miss on 1 regardless of modifiers.

Hits proceed to roll against the target's armour to do damage as normal.

The modifier idea was something which played around FAQ2007 just before the release of BFG 1.5. But in the end the gunnery chart was much more elegant.

The gunnery is so extremely good because it incorporates: to hit and to damage in one roll and at once taking account of aspect, size and range.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
I've also started 3d printing off BFG ships again recently, and a friend in my playgroup found the weapons battery table irritating and wrote up a mathematically-equivalent (though more random) alternate system. I've summarized it below and would be interested to hear what folks think of it.

Instead of using the gunnery table roll 1d6 to hit per point of firepower. All shots hit on 4+, with the following modifiers:
* +1 if the target's attitude is Closing
* +1 for close range (within 15cm/6")
* +2 and ignore attitude if the target is Defense or a stationary vessel
* -1 for firing through blast markers
* -1 if the target's attitude is Abeam
* -1 if the target is an Escort
* -1 for long range (outside 30cm/12")
* -2 and ignore attitude if the target is Ordnance

All further references to a left column shift are replaced with +1 to hit, all further references to a right column shift are replaced with -1 to hit. Shots always hit on 6 or miss on 1 regardless of modifiers.

Hits proceed to roll against the target's armour to do damage as normal.

I too have noticed that the gunnery table mostly reproduces averages of these dice rolls and have considered dropping it but in the end I didn't find enough to fix in BFG rules to justify the labour of a rewrite. There's also something to be said for the immersion factor as in this case looking up charts and "doing math" does give an approximation of what a gunnery officer would actually do (unlike looking up charts when resolving a swordfight)

I did a conversion that was similar but not identical to the gunnery table but as everyone used it it didn't really change the outcome:

Roll firepower dice as normal with the following modifiers:

+1 dice within 15cm

-1 dice intervening blast markers
-1 dice capital ship
-1 dice target moving away
-1 dice abeam
-2 dice escort
-4 dice Ordnance


To a minimum of 1.


The gunnery table more or less reduces by 1 firepower for every column (there's a couple of exceptions that seem fairly arbitrary so I ignored them).

So an escort (-2) abeam (-2) targeted with 4 fp would get 1 dice.

This creates a graduation of fp rather than the staggered effect of repeated values, except when at 1.

At low and medium fp it matches pretty well, it's only when it gets to higher levels that you see more of a difference.

You can play it as is or maybe reduce fp on ships to compensate.

But I never really found it an issue.

Updated the first post with these new links. Enjoy.


BFG Remastered Fleets (WIP v0.29)
WIP file, use at own risk. It may or may not be correct, it's also not finished (hence, WIP) (24,3 MB): -deleted-


BFG Remastered First Battle v1.02
Simplified rules for playing a first battle, includes the most basic rules, a version of the scenario Cruiser Clash and ship profiles for playing the first game.

Web/Mobile (3,45 MB): -deleted-

Print (13 MB): -deleted-

Specs for getting it printed:
Staple binding
Colour profile: ISO Coated v2 300%
Size: 170 x 240 mm
Bleeding: 3 mm
Colour: 4/4C
Content: 32 pages

Updated the "First Battle" to v1.02


Also added the "First Battle" in German
Web/Mobile (3,51 MB): -deleted-
Print (12,8 MB): -deleted-

Received a box full of printed German "First Battle" booklets last weekend.

Has anyone had this printed in the US? If so, do you recommend the print company? Any information would be appreciated!

I made a short video on how to order a printed copy of the Remastered Rulebook if you're in the EU (+GB) and can't find a decently priced local printer.
The website I'm using is in German only, so this might save you some time if you don't speak German.

Thanks!

Updated the Rulebook to 1.04
Aside from minor spelling errors, Ordnance has received a fix where it was poorly worded due to a left out fragment from the original rulebook (that I interpreted as overriden by the 2010 FAQ - it was not) and Catastrophic Damage has one duplicate textblock removed, and added in a missing textblock, that hulks block LoF. It now also has a "version" indicator on pg 4.


Fleets is also at v0.32 now, but the link gets updated with each version, regardless of the describing text.

Updated the Rulebook to 1.05

Changelog:

amended Fire Arcs (p59/60 with the case of right between arcs from 2010 p4 that was previously missing

amended Critical Hits table (p67) Bridge smashed with the loss of Commander re-rolls

fixed firing inside asteroid fields (p111) right shift to left shift

amended Pre-battle summary (p123)

fixed sub-plots table (p124) Miserable Defeat condition

few minor layout or typo fixes

The question is do I print out 10 copies of the rulebook again for everyone, or just not tell them...

The_Real_Chris wrote:
The question is do I print out 10 copies of the rulebook again for everyone, or just not tell them...

The only "real" change is the fire arc thing, but even there it's one sentence that I missed copying over from the 2010 FAQ.

The errors are either solved easily with common sense or just QoL carry-overs from the Fleets.

Update Rulebook to v1.06

Changes:

changed the Torpedo Bomber section to include the full rules how it plays/interacts (how to include it/point costs/etc. are in the Fleets book)

moved the "Attack Craft Waves" after all AC types and clarified that interactions are marker vs marker

restructured the "Resilient AC" section, should be much clearer now

Added the missing "primary biosphere" zone again in the "Fighting sunward" section (was moved from "effect" to "no effect" with FAQ2010, but I only removed it in the text)

Scenario Exterminatus: removed the "25% extra defences" as FAQ2010 allows 1/3 of the total points as extra defences in all scenarios

Update Rulebook to v1.07

Changes:

a few small typo fixes, including the backside of the cover

moved boarding value in front of the boarding modifier table, and added a clarification how it translates to a modifier

Updated Rulebook to v1.08
Link in first post.

Changes:

Added a missing sentence to the "Ordnance attacks" section (ignore shields) and restructured the paragraph a bit while at it.

Added a page link from "Fighting Sunward" to the sunward edge diagram.

Made the sentence stand out that the whole squadron is affected by any one ship under special orders.

Just found this compilation and its nothing short of fantastic!

Just ordered 5 rule books (can give to friends also to get them excited about the game).

Out of curiosity (and with the deepest respect for the colossual work done for both books), can I ask if theres any chance of a content and front+spine+back for the fleet book. Would love to have that one printed as well.

Know its WIP, but quick glance and seemed pretty great! A few pics missing, but no big issue

Again, thanks for the great product and work!

Is there anyway for me to resize the pages for printing? I'm in the US and no print company here seems to be able to 170 x 240mm.

This is very nice. Kudos!

Remastered Rulebook v1.09 is uploaded and available:
-deleted-

As requested, there's now also a version with less colour which should be a bit more office printer friendly (i.e. no background, black boxes with white text are now white boxes with black text)

Changelog v1.09:
- Included a disclaimer at the beginning about continued "changes" to the rules and a reference to horizon's FAQ documents
- Included a missing text fragment that all ordnance ignores shields
- Changed the order of the paragraphs of the torpedo rules
- Removed a reference to strength-3 marker for splitting torpedoes, as this was about the size of the marker not the strength and was confusing with the given example (torpedo salvo of 7 can be split into two strength-3 markers)
- Improved wording that fighters don't attack friendly ordnance/ships (unless it's a torpedo)
- Added a new first line to CAP rules
- Improved wording for combined torpedo salvoes in the squadron section
- Improved wording for shooting by squadrons under special orders
- Changed the rules as written for Gas/Dust Clouds to match the rules as intended by Andy Chambers
- Improved wording for shooting at asteroid fields
- Included a page reference and hyperlink from the Fighting Sunward rule to the Sunward Edge picture
- Added Space Marines to the re-roll for the Excellent Pilots crew skill

Remastered Rulebook v1.10 is uploaded and available:
-deleted-

Changelog v1.10:
- Blast Marker effects (pg. 69): switched a few paragraphs around to make more sense and added a supplementary sentence from the 2010 FAQ about the difference of ‘Shield strength 0’ and ‘shields overloaded’.
- Ramming Speed: Removed a duplicate sentence (may only ram one ship), switched a few paragraphs and sentences around and amended/shortened them to make more sense.
- Attack Craft wave hit by Nova Cannon (pg. 85): replaced part of the sentence about hits from main weapons with the one from the 2010 FAQ “Ordnance waves or salvoes that are hit by direct-fire weapons (such as gunnery or lances) on a roll of 6 remove the entire wave or salvo […]” and amended the example with “Nova Cannons” (as it’s a direct-fire weapon).

Thanks for the update!