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--- content:official:rules:semi-moderated_pvp [2017/07/23 20:50] – created curufea
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-====== Alternate Modes of Play ======
-Battlestations is designed to be crewed by a group
-of friends working together against another player
-playing the role of the “enemy”. There are other ways
-to play, if you are so inclined as outlined below.
-===== Semi-moderated =====
-In this mode of play, one of the players takes on the
-role of the Enemy as normal but they also have a
-character in the crew. Obviously, they can’t participate
-directly in efforts to problem solve about a mystery
-but they can take normal Battlestation actions and
-participate in strategy and planning. Players can take
-turns as the Enemy switching between campaign
-turns.
-The advantage to this style of play is that everybody
-gets to be part of the crew. The “Enemy” player is
-restricted somewhat in their actions but some would
-say it is better than just having to be the bad guy.
-Note: you could be the enemy in the First Contact
-game (you know the answer) and just not tell. You
-could actually play the hero Scientist asking yes/no
-questions to find the answer, you’d just have to defer
-to the rest of the crew to pose your questions.
-===== PvP =====
-This mode pits 2 crews against one another without a
-referee.
-At the start of each round, one player from each side
-rolls 2 dice for initiative (luckable). The high roller
-acts as “heroes” for the phase. The other side acts
-when “enemies” act. If this die roll is tied, roll again.
-===== Battlestations Unmoderated (Solo Play) =====
-Here is a system that acts as an artificial intelligence
-to operate Enemy characters without needing an
-Enemy player. You can use it to play both solitaire and
-as a group.
-==== Setup ====
-Set up an Unmoderated mission as normal, but if you
-are playing entirely alone then you can have multiple
-Heroes. (Normally I never allow this, but when running
-the game solo it’s the only way to have an effective
-crew other than being a bot specialist.)
-==== Mission Difficulty ====
-Unmoderated opponents won’t make the best
-decisions possible, so increase the mission’s MD by 1.
-==== Secrets ====
-If the mission contains secrets players aren’t meant
-to know, one player must become the Oracle. The
-Oracle’s job is to read the “Enemy’s Eyes Only”
-section and only reveal information from it as they
-deem necessary during play. They’ll have to carefully
-compartmentalize their Oracle role from their Hero
-role to avoid taking advantage of their forbidden
-knowledge.
-In some missions, the only secret is the location of
-something. In that case you won’t need an Oracle.
-Instead, the Science Bay’s Research action can be
-used to randomly determine which half of a search
-area contains the location. For example, a mission
-objective is hidden on one of eight asteroids. The
-first successful Research will eliminate four of them,
-and the second will eliminate two more. One more
-Research, and you’ll know where it is. (Just as in real
-life, it’s always in the last place you look.) You can use
-a similar method for things that could be hidden in an
-area rather than a discrete set of objects, just split the
-area down the middle each time until you narrow it
-down to one hex or square.
-==== Plot Twist Cards ====
-Right before starting the first Round, draw the usual
-number of Plot Twist cards face-up. Play all “At Start of
-Mission” cards normally, then convert the remaining
-cards directly to Enemy luck.
-==== Order of Action ====
-Enemies aboard the Heroes’ ship act first, then ones
-aboard their own ships.
-If there is 3 or 4 OOC and Helm power, Enemy pilots
-will steady the ship first.
-Otherwise act in the following order:
-  - Engineers
-  - Scientists
-  - Marines
-  - Pilots
-Break in-profession ties on who goes first by location
-in the ship: furthest forward first, then furthest to port.
-==== Behavior Overrides ====
-Certain conditions will override the tactical doctrines.
-Check these first, in order, to see if they apply.
-==== Victory: ====
-If the Heroes will win the mission this Round
-and this Enemy character can do something
-which will directly prevent it, then do that.
-==== Aggression: ====
-Marines on the same ship as Heroes always
-select Personal Combat, as do Enemies of any
-profession on board the Hero ship.
-==== Self-Defence: ====
-If a Hero will be able to attack this character
-in personal combat next phase, select
-Personal Combat.
-==== Chaotic Behavior ====
-Enemies who run off the bottom of their action list
-will decide to do something “off-script” by rolling two
-dice on this chart:
-^ ROLL ^ RESULT |
-| 2–3 | Pilot |
-| 4 | Marine |
-| 5 | Science |
-| 6–8 | Do Your Damn Job |
-| 9+ | Personal Combat |
-Add 1 to the dice roll for Xeloxians or pirates, and +1
-for Marines.
-Enemies that roll “Do Your Damn Job” will go through
-the same flowchart they just fell off of, but this time
-increase all acceptable risk values by 2.
-Enemies that run off the bottom of the new chaos-
-inspired chart just twiddle their thumbs (or equivalent
-manipulators) and take the Overwatch action to
-shoot the first reasonable target. Note that if no
-targets present themselves, they will just blast the
-floorboards of the ship if they are on the heroes’ ship.
-==== Strategy ====
-The sole focus of Enemy strategy is to prevent the
-Heroes from meeting their mission objectives. Enemy
-casualties – even including losing the whole ship –
-are a minor concern, since they’ve got clones too.
-**If the Heroes need their ship intact to win: **
-  the Enemy strategy will be Assault, and they
-  will simply try to destroy the Heroes’ ship.
-  This includes missions where the Heroes
-  must retrieve an object or data, and ones
-  where they need to deliver something.
-**If the Heroes need to destroy something:**
-  the Enemy will Guard. They will prioritize
-  keeping their ship near the target and
-  sniping at the Heroes’ ship from range. If
-  the target is destroyed, they will switch to
-  Assault.
-These strategies will affect Enemy tactics, as detailed
-on the next 2 pages.
-===== Tactics =====
-==== Risk Levels ====
-A lot of the automated decisions the Enemy will make
-are based on their current risk level, which is sort of
-like Difficulty in reverse. To compute the risk level,
-subtract all of the additions you’d normally make
-to the skill check die roll from the action’s difficulty.
-The simplest use of risk levels is to choose between
-actions.
-Example: An Enemy scientist with a skill of 3 is
-considering teleporting a Marine to the Heroes’ ship at
-a range of 6; both ships have 1 power in their shields
-but the module has one used marker. The difficulty is
-(6 base for Teleport, plus 2 for the shields, plus 3 for
-the used marker). There are 3 adds (for skill) and thus
-the risk level is 8. If the Enemy tactical doctrine specifies
-“Teleport on a 7-” then the scientist would consider their
-next option, as this is too risky.
-Risk levels are also used to select targets for actions
-that allow variable difficulty.
-Example: An Enemy engineer with a skill of 4 who
-prepared last turn is going to pump the engines remotely.
-The base risk level is 6, from 11 difficulty (8 base plus
-for remote operation) minus 5 adds (4 skill and 1 for
-preparing). If doctrine says to go for 7- risk, the engineer
-would pump for one power. If it said 9-, then two power
-would be OK, as the risk level would be 9.
-==== Luck Use ====
-Enemies will use luck for skill check rerolls that have
-a 50% or better chance of success.
-Note also that enemies can only spend one luck per
-check. The exception to this is the hull check which
-each enemy can spend one luck on.
-Example: The engineer in the above example went for
-two power, but rolled a 5 and a 3. That’s one short of the
-target, but rerolling the 3 will result in success if the die
-comes up 4, 5 or 6. So they burn a point from the Enemy
-luck pool and go for it. If the original roll was a 2 and a
-, a reroll would only succeed on a 6, so they’d save the
-luck instead.
-They’ll also use luck when an incoming personal
-damage die is a 5 or 6. However, they won’t do this if it
-won’t help.
-Example: An enemy has 3 hit points left and a missile
-explosion just did a 6 and a 2 for damage. It’s not worth
-rerolling the 6 – they’re going down anyhow.
-==== Tactical Doctrines and General Behavior ====
-Each profession has their own flowchart at the end of
-this section noting how they make tactical decisions.
-(Personal Combat is an exception, as it’s not linked
-to a particular profession – everyone can get shot at
-equally regardless of their uniform color.)
-These charts are in priority order; the Enemy will go
-down the chart and do the first thing that’s allowed
-by risk level and circumstances. Enemies will move as
-necessary to enable an action; jet-equipped ones will
-jet-move to replace their longest stretch if they have a
-- risk to do so.
-**Example**: //A Silicoid engineer is in its ship’s far-starboard
-engine module wondering what to do. So it refers to the
-Engineering flowchart. It first checks the helm, which
-is undamaged. Then it checks the power levels, which
-are 1 helm, 2 guns, 1 shields. No bots are aboard, so it
-moves on to damaged modules – the adjacent engine is
-slagged. It decides to move into the module and attempt
-a repair.//
-Enemies can look two phases into the future when
-making decisions. So if a directive says “repair
-damaged modules” and the closest one is within two
-phases of movement, the Enemy in question will start
-running toward the damaged module despite not
-being able to actually repair it this phase. However,
-they don’t have memories, so don’t bother to track
-what they were up to – just go through the flowchart
-again. Usually if circumstances haven’t changed,
-they’ll do the same thing anyway.
-**Example**: //If the Science Bay had been broken instead,
-the engineer would still have run over to it intending to
-fix it next phase, and ending up just barely in the door.
-But if the Missile Bay had been broken, clear over on the
-other end of the ship, the engineer wouldn’t even bother
-– it’s too far away.//
-Similarly, if an Enemy has movement left over after
-performing their action, they will run through the
-flowchart again to plan next phase’s action and then
-move as appropriate in support of that.
-==== Tactical Doctrine Flowcharts ====
-=== Engineer ===
-  * If the helm is damaged, repair it. Take as many phases to get there as necessary – this breaks the usual “two phase” movement rule.
-  * If any power level is at zero, pump an engine at risk 7-.
-    * Distribute the power to make levels even
-    * For ties, prefer Helm, then Guns, then Shields
-  * If there are damaged Enemy bots, repair them.
-  * If there are damaged modules, repair them. If at an engine battlestation, pump it first at risk 7- and then go off to do the repairs.
-  * Operate Mine Layer to put a mine in path of the Heroes at risk 7-.
-=== Science ===
-  * If there are inbound missiles, overwatch to ECM as many as possible at risk 7-.
-  * If there are wounded enemies – including broken bots – heal them in order of proximity starting with self.
-  * If there are no scans, get some at risk 7-.
-  * If there are scans, operate the Teleporter at risk 7-. Wait until the Marines have gone over before sending yourself.
-  * If there is a cloaking device, go on overwatch to raise the cloak level after enemy actions at risk 7-.
-=== Personal Combat ===
-  * Attack the closest target. If more than one is equidistant, pick randomly.
-  * Move as close as possible to the closest target and go on overwatch to attack with a ranged weapon.
-  * If there are no targets aboard, teleport or boarding missile at risk 7- onto a ship that does.
-=== Marine ===
-  * Fire the closest ship’s weapon at risk level 7-.
-    * Aim for the lowest-risk target. If tied, target in the following order: fighters, inbound missiles, Heroes’ ship.
-  * Fire a ship’s weapon remotely at risk 8- (same tiebreaker).
-  * If risk is 9+ but another enemy will be firing this phase then overwatch to assist them.
-  * If there is 1 or more Hero microships in flight, and the risk level to hit them is 10+, convert to multicannon.
-  * If the risk level to hit the Hero ship is 8+ due to range, convert to long range cannon.
-  * Switch to Personal Combat mode and board Hero ship at risk 7-. Recruit a Scientist if possible to act as combat medic and/or get the Teleporter risk into acceptable range.
-=== Pilot ===
-  * If the Helm is damaged, repair it.
-  * If there is no Helm power, transfer one in (probably remotely).
-  * Maneuver the ship at a risk of 7-.
-    * If the ship’s course will intersect the Heroes’ next phase, go on overwatch to ram.
-    * If the OOC is greater than 2, steady the ship.
-    * Accelerate to maximum safe speed (one that gives future maneuvers a 7- risk)
-    * If on Guard, turn if necessary to stay within 6 hexes of the target.
-    * If on Assault, turn to intercept the Heroes’ ship, taking into account their current course.
-  * If another Enemy will be maneuvering the ship
-this phase, go on overwatch to assist.

Heroic Adventure

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