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One of the great things about being a game designer, is that you are always playing around with new rules, games, and ideas. You are tweaking, drafting, and testing out different genres and themes. Today is an example of a game in development called: Glittering Void. I had spent way too much time watching space based Mecha anime and decided to try my hand at making my own tabletop version of the game. I had long been thinking about how (and if) you should incorporate "Height Bands" into a space game. After watching a lot of anime space-Mecha battles I decided that you should, since Mechs were always getting wasted by Mechs coming from strange directions. height bands could help simulate this process.

Those of you who play a lot of games will see heavy influences from Aeronautica Imperialis, X-wing, Battlestar Galactica, Jovian Chronicles, With the Lightnings, and more.

The trading contract for the Freehold of New Arcadia will expire and come up for re-negotiation in the next rotations. Traditionally, these contracts have been held by corporate interests aligned with the New Olympians, and New Arcadia was considered within the New Olympians sphere of interests. However, the free hold is located in the Asteroid Belt, which the Earth Alliance views at its territory.

With the contract set to expire, elements of the Earth Alliance have begun aggressively courting New Arcadia. They have offered lucrative incentives, and coupled them with veiled threats. In fact, some smaller trading and prospecting vessels from New Arcadia have gone missing in the region. The Earth Alliance has cited this as a prime reason to change contracts, as the New Olympians have failed to properly protect and enforce the expiring contract.

The powers that be on NeOlympus have deemed it necessary to reinforce their alliance on New Arcadia. To this end, they have deployed a patrol ship and a compliment of suits to New Arcadia space. A Carrier arrived and dropped off just such a ship before continuing on its route. The New Olympian commander on the scene has pledged to find the cause of the missing prospecting vessels.

Investigating the last know location of one of these New Arcadian Prospecting ships, the New Olympians had unusual activity on their scopes. Interference was being thrown out by a large Radiation Band in the area. Therefore, a patrol of Suits was deployed to investigate further.

Forces

New Olympians

3 Ares Space Combat Suits

1 Ares Space Combat Suit

- Upgrade #2: Dual Heavy Beams

Unkowns

1 Polemarch Suit

- Upgrade- Combat Shield

4 Hoplite Suits

- 1 Upgrade- Rocket Tube



Of course, today's play test will be featuring my (in)famous Paper Templates! I have been preparing some "Not Gundam" knock-off models to use in a more "polished" version of the game. This is still early days in the process.

I use dice to raise or lower their altitude. On the table is Alpha, 1 dice is Beta, and 2 dice is Gamma level.

I also made some small paper circles for future games that will be used to show the direction travelled. A key part of this game is that you can travel one direction, but face another. Facing is based on the Front (marked with an F on my templates) and the direction of travel will be based on the triangle on the marker below the template. Make sense?

Mission:

Today's mission is found in the main rulebook. In this scenario, unknown blips have been detected and combat units have been deployed to identify the unknowns and determine who they are. You can score additional Victory Points by using your sensors to "ID" a target as well as normal combat processes.

Set-up

Today's game will be on a 48 MU x 48 MU board with 1 MU being one inch. There is a Radiation band that goes across the board at Alpha and Beta level. This radiation band has been making long range Identification of the unknowns difficult. It is 12 MU wide and arcs across near the center line of the board. I am using pipe cleaners to differentiate the edges.



The Unknowns are on one side of the Radiation band, while the New Olympians are on the other. All suits are deployed up to 6 MU from the board edge. The New Olympians are at various altitude bands and speeds. The Earth Alliance are all at Alpha level and coming on at full speed.

If you want to give the battle a read through, you can find all the info here:
https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2021/05/battle-report-glittering-void-id-and.html