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Norsehound

@norsehound.bsky.social

860 followers 1.2K following 2.1K posts

World Builder. Impulsive creator (game design, illustration, writing). Was the lore writer for Homeworld Mobile. Still a beleaguered parent after a pandemic.

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Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 3h

I think I need to stop equivocating and press to get this kit ready. The game has been stable in past versions, though the recent mechanics I've added in the past year have finally made the game feel comprehensive.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 4h

I know!!! I'm so proud of what this thing does and how it plays! But I'm haunted with existential questions like ... What's the point? What hidden critical game ending bugs exist in the game?

I do think it's in a good spot though. And engineering campaign play takes some pressure off

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

Aaaand then kiddo gets up screaming. That's all folks! Game ends at turn 4 and a lot of eventful things happened. I love how far this has come and what this game can do.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

We beam down with Chapel. Even though I add her intellect to the check, Ajar escapes this time.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

This is the point my two newbies reveal they're tactical 4 between them, which is as much expertise as Scotty with his engineering.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

Anyways, we have enough power to pull into Manola to start the turn fresh. With the sector nice and stable, Starfleet Command gives us another cargo mission. Fortunately it's along with what we're doing already!

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

With that out of the way I now need to track down space criminal Ajar K'har in about two turns. That's if nothing else comes up.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

What I need to do is think of bonuses for cargo ships and workbees because those were supposed to increase that limit to move more per turn. That might all be cargo shifts for free, or you can spend a workbees instead of an action.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

The cargo mission isn't hard, but I need to make a design decision here. As a standard players have 6 actions. Previously, it's been 1 action per cargo item, meaning I'd need to spend an entire turn loading. I decided this will be one action per total cargo shift, because that's more fun.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

Fleet missions affect the entire game board, including ones with multiple sectors. This is supposed to be an ongoing one all player ships handle together.

But it's just me out here

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

Ah! An interesting turn off the bat! This is the first time the game is in a state of two missions with this much stability. Moreover, those two missions are interesting in themselves. We have a cargo dropoff mission, but also a fleet mission.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

To end our the turn I take the Monitor back home and welcome aboard two new officers to make a full ship. Arke items haven't been seen since Star Trek 4, so we hold a party over their return. Monitor is restocked for the next turn.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

Rather than risk failing scan checks I take my ship to investigate the loose contact at Korran. There's nothing there but busywork. Chapel reads off the parts catalogue to Scotty, whose done this a million times already.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

Got the scans the next day. Between Scotty's skill, a photon torpedo, and an ensign looking out the window, the comet is destroyed. Score mission!

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

Our first run of bad luck trying to scan the rock. Not even Chapel stepping up to the scope with her ability bails us out. And we needed at least one 4+ because Scotty has half the problem solved! Iterate the timer and keep going tomorrow.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 5h

We've gotta resolve an encounter as part of the mission reqs and find what appears to be a missing starship. Though Scotty checks it out, the ship vanishes. And since mission card 004 doesn't seem to exist in my play test kit, it's never seen again.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 6h

Kinda neat I draw this one. Stop Comet! Has been the first mission I work up with every iteration of Captains as far back as I remember.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 6h

TrekCaptains. Moonlighting as a starship captain again, stealing half of Jim Kirk's crew before I take off...

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 12h

Shout out to the Ranger class (not the STO one, the original 80s one from FASA) which looks like it might be the smallest playable ship in this game. It's so small I'm having difficulty imagining its utility, but I'm up for the challenge.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 15h

TrekCaptains. It's occurred to me as I'm starting to fill out the Starfleet box- and how its planned additions are good to support a group of players- that I don't have much planned to support solo.

Might need to add more to Starfleet academy for awards and better campaign progression.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 22h

Older versions had rules for taking trainee cruises and starting from being a commander of a small ship to lead into being a proper captain, but we'll see.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 22h

Lastly SFA will have challenges and encounters that test leadership. Things like officers getting afraid or facing personal challenges.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 22h

In addition to this captain mechanic you get cadets- poor officers you gain score with if you complete a session with them taking up slots on the bridge.

First officers have a new major skill, leadership, which you can call upon to boost skill checks. They also buff crew skill.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 22h

TrekCaptains. The whole reason I was thinking of this expansion was whether to fold first officers into the base game or not.

However, I see it as an opportunity to take one mechanic out of the base game to thematically have it in another. The Starfleet Academy box is really an officer boost

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 22h

TrekCaptains. Was going back and forth on whether to integrate a planned-for-expansion into the base game, but decided to keep it an expansion. I think it's a wiser move to keep the base game focused on essential core mechanics and avoid overloading players with too many things.

Norsehound @norsehound.bsky.social · 22h

While cool and distinct from normal officers, it's needlessly complicated. There's a simpler system I'm going with for this, which I'd reveal if I have pictures, but I don't.