–⊙– Mnemosyne: Discussion & Interest –⊙–

[Humabout]

I specifically avoided an insectoidal luria because they are already so heavily-inspired by tyranids.  As you said, I'd have to really contemplate how to differentiate a bug race from the other factions - sarkth do the swarm thing and the luria are living weapons.  I'll have to give it some thought, because we really are missing our space bugs.

Transplanted humans might be interesting, though I'm not sure how well they'd work as an actual faction.  I could see a group being run how Sparkle has her coven in UD, though.  Alternatively, what if a human colony ship crashlanded and they're attempting to make the world habitable for themselves?  I had behind-the-curtain explained Mnemosyne's green-hued skies as resulting from florine in the atmosphere, which would make it incredibly toxic to humans.  Removing that florine could make it toxic to all Mnemosynians, but they'd have to know the humans were there and what they were doing....

A shame we can't get you in here.  There'll always be a spot, though.  Just say the word.

[Rhamnousia]

This is more just a thematic thing, but some of the language you use to describe the Luria sounds a lot more evocative of insects than plants. Maybe instead of calling it the Hive Mind, what about, say, the Root-Mind? Or, since what little I've heard about plant/fungal intelligence seems to indicate that they think collectively, something like "The Consensus"?

[Humabout]

You do have a good point.  "Hivemind" is very insect-ish.  I'll meditate on that for a bit; it's hard to dream up a word that encapsulates a concept so well as that.

....

I've actually been playing around with your Excel sheet and trying to come up with core Bastard units. I want to emphasize that by and large, they're vicious, heavily-armed fighters: do you think making the basic F/Rec infantry unit TS 50 would work out? Also, of the units you've posted already (all magnificent, by the way), how many take a penalty for moving in poor weather? And is there a way to distinguish between artillery elements that can fire across multiple hexes and those that can't, or can they all? I was actually thinking that extended range might be a possible Special Feature for Artillery, (Air), and Fire elements, assuming you wanted to make a distinction.

And as a final question: do certain types of special class superiority trump others?

I categorically apply poor weather penalties to surface ships (not submarines or marine animals) and the mnemosyte capital ships.  Flyers and most flying animals cannot operate in bad weather, nor can small surface ships (boats, large boats, barges, or lighters).  These are things I should have mentioned in their descriptions.  Thank you for bringing it up.  Also, it is a feature of cavalry that their TS is halved in bad terrain.  I haven't applied that to anyone else, though.  Also, Phthan units generally ignore all of those rules, though I need to doublecheck I priced them accordingly.  99% sure I did.

Artillery ranges are ad hoc, as I found my attempts to price such a thing really didn't impact the price enough to warrant worrying about it (impact was less than two sigfigs.).  As a rule of thumb, light artillery can fire at targets up to one hex away and heavy artillery can hit two hexes away.  Really crazy heavy artillery can hit up to three hexes away.  Also a note on artillery:  if you're not talking about ballistic artillery, you're probably not talking about Artillery, but Fire; the lurian units that have Art are either extremely big and tall (negates horizon issues) with long-range weapons or lob exploding spores.  Phthan are a similar case, but generally lack a lot of Art units.  Of course, you can use Art to represent a unit that is very good at sieges, too.

Your suggestion to make special features for Art, F, and (Air) are intriguing, though I think if I did it, it'd make it akin to Transport - Art 0 through Art 3, with each being progressively pricier.  It is an idea, though with the speeds we are talking about, hitting 3 hexes away isn't terribly advantageous.  I may end up scrapping the "X hexes away" thing and make it a matter of how far away they can apply their TS to a battle (which is really more my intent).  And thinking on that, it sounds much more like adding support range.  I'll have this sorted out by the next update.

And lastly, no one Special Class trumps any other.  They are all equal in effectiveness, although they are priced based on how often they can apply in battles and how often I'd like to see them flavor-wise.

[Humabout]

Update!  Nothing is changing.  Anything that appears a little funky or needs any adjudication, we'll just apply common sense.

Also, I have begun work on psychic powers.  I am thinking that

Psychic Powers

• Psychic Static – inhibits psi usage within a given radius
  
• Psychic Ward – protects against psi attacks
  
• True Sight – see through psychic obfuscation
  
• Psychic Seeker – Find a specific person or object
  
• Clairvoyance
  
• Psi Sense – detect when psi powers are used in your vicinity
  
• Psychometry – learn the history of what happened in a location
  
• Weather Sight – learn what the weather holds in the future
  
• Convalescing Aura – Recover TS after a battle.
  
• Serendipity – Gain a bonus to one roll this week.
  
• Telepathy – Communicate directly with one target this week.
  
• Psychic Cloak – Make a force invisible to normal senses.
  
• Illusion – Alter the appearance of your force to others.
  

Combat Powers

• Fear – Potentially force a Leadership roll or enemy force retreats.
  
• Confusion – Force a Leadership roll or enemy force is confused as if ambushed.
  
• Distraction – Penalty on enemy Strategy Roll
  
• Dominate – Treat one element as though it was disloyal and has rebelled.