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on May 9
James Kato
Posted project update #6Imperial Crusade Freedom Has Been Successful
I want to thank every supporter for their help making Imperial Crusade Freedom a success. For awhile, I thought this project was not going to make it. I'm sorry I haven't made updated rules books and ship cards but my computer has been busted. My brand new computer is going to arrive on Monday so I will produce new rules books using Michael's updated rules as soon as possible. Many people have asked about tape measures and one will be included in every box set. The following will be the contents of the Imperial Crusade Freedom box set:
Box (Smaller than the Armada box. The Armada box was huge.)
40 Plastic Ship Cards
Rules Book
Dry Erase Marker
D10
Plastic Tokens
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on May 9Funded!
Imperial Crusade Freedom: Another Unique Space Combat Game by James Kato
A space combat game that uses plastic cards on the table to represent the ships like a miniature.
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114% funded $4,589 pledged
- 144 backers
- Funded May 09, 2012
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on May 8
James Kato
Posted project update #5Thanks for your Support
Imperial Crusade Freedom has successfully hit its goal. Every supporter was vital to the success of this project because we barely squeezed out a victory. I know you will love the game. I also want to thank Michael for all his help on this project. It would not have succeeded without him.
Thanks,
James
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on May 2
James Kato
Posted project update #4Update #4: Revised rules are here! One week to go!
The revised rules for Imperial Crusade: Freedom are ready so have a look and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.
Download the rules:
http://jengames.com/uploads/Freedom_Rules_v1.3.pdf
One week left... can we make it? I'm sure we can but we need your help to do it.
Tell your friends, show them the new rules, point them to the Kickstarter and let them know that we will be working on improving the game right up until it ships- and beyond!
Some of the possible improvements we are working on:
-Balancing factions against each other in Freedom, Armada and future expansions.
-Increasing some of the text on ship cards to make it more legible to folks with poor eyes like myself.
-Adjusting weapon icons to be more visible and differentiate standard(no extra rules) and special weapons.
-Fleet Tactics cost and power balancing.
-Ship Ability changes.
-Team games - I'll be posting a 4-player session report on Boardgamegeek.
One more thing - if you already own Armada you can use these new rules with your existing ships.
Enjoy!
-Mike (Fallow) Matecha3 of 7View Previous Comments-
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Mike Dougan on May 2
Will the new rules change or make obsolete the Fleet Tactics Cards presented on BGG?
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Michael Matecha on May 2
Some of them, yes.
If the fine fellow who made them (nestyr on BGG) wants to revise them that would be great!
Or I can rewrite them sometime before the game ships. -
Mike Dougan on May 2
Thanks. I was just curious since I was going to try and use your rules to learn the game, but like the idea of the tactics cards.
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on April 23
James Kato
Posted project update #3Rules Improvements: Attack Roll modifiers and Sensors
Hey all, how goes it? It’s raining here in New Jersey – perfect weather to stay inside and play boardgames!The core rules to Imperial Crusade are still being revised… tuned, painted, polished and taking laps around the test track but in the meantime I wanted to let you know about the two improvements that I feel have the most impact on the game and see if you have any questions or suggestions. I’ll give you the short version first followed by the long version giving more examples and explaining my though process.
The Kickstart is 75% of the way there - THANKS for that! Please mention the game to your friends and on forums so we can reach the pledge goal and get the game to everyone.
On to the rules improvements:
Short Version
- Attack Roll Modifier is no longer used. Now there is a Target Number (TN) which is equal to the printed Agility value of a Ship/Fighter at the start of each turn. Sensors simply modify the TN up or down on a one for one basis.
- Sensors are no longer useable by any ship at any time. Only the activated ship and the current target may use Sensors. These two ships may still use any number of their Sensors on any ship.
Long (and better) Version
- Attack Roll Modifier: This was the rule where a ship could use a Sensor to apply a +/- 1 attack roll modifier to a target ship/fighter Agility. The first change we made was in the name. The ship that receives the modifier is NOT the attacker. It is the TARGET. So it made sense to call it the Targeting Modifier. Then I started thinking about the actual emotive aspect of attacking a ship. Sort of game-theory thought. Movies, books, GAMES are about creating emotions. The thrill and trash talk in a loud battle, the lucky die roll or the mental satisfaction of a well-executed plan. Picture this for a moment:
Example 1) Your ship is barely functioning and the enemy ship has shields down and only 2 structure boxes left. You have one power left. One shot and everything riding on this ONE DIE ROLL. You roll the die, music flares and…. Bum bum bum! You do math. “Okay I rolled a 5 and the target ship’s Agility is 7 but there is a +2 Targeting Modifier so 5+2=7, a HIT” Feel the emotion? Not so much.
Example 2) Look at the battlefield. There are 6 ships all over the table. One has 5 Agility and -2 Targeting Modifier, one has 7 Agility and +1 Targeting Modifier, one has 6 Agility and +2 modifier- you get the idea. Glancing around to get an idea of who to attack you have to do math. Each time you look. Each turn. Instead how about this: Do the math at the time the modifier is applied. Leave the actual die roll as an emotive moment.
Here’s how:
Target Number (TN): The TN of a ship is the number that an Attack roll must meet or beat to hit the target. The TN of a ship starts the turn equal to the ship's Agility value. The current TN value is written adjacent to the Agility and modified as Sensors are used by opposing sides to ECM and ECCM each other. Certain Tactics can also alter the TN of ships and fighters. TN changes on fighters are easy to remember (they usually don’t survive the barrage) but if needed, changes to the TN can be marked on the token. So you activate a ship and want to attack an enemy ship with an Agility of 7. You use 2 Sensors to lower the enemy ship’s TN from a 7 to a 5. Simply write 5 next to the Agility.
That’s it. Now let’s try those examples again.
1)-Your ship is barely functioning and the enemy ship has shields down and only 2 structure boxes left. You have one power left. One shot and everything riding on this ONE DIE ROLL. You see his TN is 5. You roll the die, music flares and…. Bum bum bum! “ It’s a 5! HIT!” No math, just fun.
2)-Again look at the battlefield. There are 6 ships all over the table. One has 7 TN, one has 6 TN, one has 4 TN – you get the idea. Glancing around to get an idea of who to attack is easy and intuitive.
o need to use the terms ‘Attack Roll Modifier’ or even ‘Targeting Modifier’. Sensors raise or lower TN.
Sensors:
Previously Sensors could be used by any ship at any time. This led to something I call ‘Sensor Wars’ where I pour all my fleet’s Sensors into lowering your ship’s TN while you in turn pour all your Sensors into raising it back up. Sensors could be considered a fleet statistic. I have 14 sensors you have 12 sensors. We fight a sensor war over your ship and I win by 2. The net effect is as if I started with 2 sensors and you had none.
Now only the activated and target ships can use sensors. While the two ships can certainly engage in a mini sensor war between the two of them, there is much more planning on when to use or save a sensor. Here’s how the rule reads:
Sensor Boxes: Sensors represent advanced targeting and control electronics used as initiative or targeting modifiers. ONLY while a ship is activated or attacked may it use one or more of its Sensors. For each Sensor a ship uses, mark a dot on a Sensor box. Sensors can be used during the Initiative Phase to give a player a +1 Initiative modifier for each Sensor used. A Sensor can be used to modify (raise or lower) a ship or fighter’s TN by one. Any ship or fighter may be targeted by the Sensors. Any number of unmarked Sensors may be used while a ship is activated or attacked but they must be assigned before an attack roll is made. Modifiers are cumulative for the turn but are discarded during the End Phase of each turn. (The TNs are reset to the Agility value) During the End Phase of each turn, erase all marks from Sensor boxes, except for boxes destroyed (marked X) because of Structure damage.
Here is an example of its use:
A Coalition Battle Destroyer (Jaguar) with a TN of 7 and 2 Sensors activates, moves, rotates to bring weapons to bear and declares an attack on an Alliance Heavy Transport (Scimitar) with a TN of 6 and 4 Sensors.
The Coalition player marks off both Sensors on his ship and says “I’m lowering the Transport’s TN to 4. The Alliance player knows his Transport can survive the attack from the wimpy Destroyer so he marks off 1 of his Sensors and says “I’m raising it back to 5.” He marks off another sensor and says “now YOUR Destroyer’s TN is lowered from 7 to 6.”
The Alliance player also takes the opportunity to mark off another Sensor (3 of 4 marked now) to help out the Alliance Battleship nearby by raising its TN from 5 to 6. He holds on to the last Sensor to use offensively when he activates. The Coalition player makes his attacks against the Transport hitting on 5 or better.
The Transport can use its last Sensor on a target when he activates or to raise his TN if he gets attacked again.
There are more improvements but those are the two that I have enjoyed in the game the most. Full revised rules are coming soon.
Questions? Comments? Post ‘em here, pm me on Boardgamegeek (Fallow), or email me at msmhouse2000@yahoo.com
Thanks for reading and keep your sensors locked!
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Brian Trotter on April 23
Interestingly, this is how I ended up playing my first game this weekend. We didn't really plan it that way, but that's where we ended up...
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on April 18
James Kato
Posted project update #2Heya Kickstarters! Fallow here!
The designer of the Imperial Crusade series –James Kato- has brought me on board to assist him in making Imperial Crusade: Freedom the best game it can be. There’s so much cool stuff happening I can’t wait to give you the details but for now here’s a rough overview:
We are rewriting the rules with an eye toward clarity, correctness and consistency of terminology.
We are working on rules changes to address some issues that came up with Armada and to make the game play smoother with less math and more fun.
We are balancing past, present and future factions so you can battle with fleets from any faction of the Imperial Crusade series. James has assured me that he intends ALL versions to work together. There will be ships more powerful than others and some combos favored over others but nothing should be made obsolete by power creep. (Thank the maker!)
James has also empowered me to interface with you to convey information and take your questions and feedback.
It might be because James tends to be a quiet man while I LOVE to talk about games all day long. J
I’m basically the ‘Speaker for the James’ and like Winston Wolfe from Pulp Fiction “I solve problems” so You gotta question, you come ta me capisce?
My name is Mike Matecha, better known as Fallow on Boardgamegeek.
I’m a freelance game design consultant (emphasis on the ‘free’) but more importantly I’m an avid (and obsessive) gamer who only works with games I really like and can get behind. So what does that mean to you? It means that besides improved rules and gameplay, I’m going to find ways for you to pimp this game after it’s in your hands.
James has been working on setting up a Boardgamegeek page for Imperial Crusade: Freedom (ICF) but they have been backlogged and likely won’t have it approved until after the Kickstart ends so in the meantime I will be posting on the Imperial Crusade: Armada (ICA)page
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/104547/imperial-crusade-armada
For those Kickstarters who do not frequent BGG I will be posting updates here but specific and lengthy discussions are better hosted on the BGG forums so check it out!
Questions? Comments?
Post ‘em here, over at Boardgamegeek, PM me on BGG, or email me at msmhouse2000@yahoo.com
Exciting stuff happening here!
Later all,
-Mike(Fallow)Matecha-
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Michael Matecha on April 18
Wow! As soon as I post here the Imperial Crusade: Freedom page on Boardgamegeek gets approved!
One of the Admins from there must be a backer or something. :)Head on over to check it out
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/123372/imperial-crusade-freedom
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TheBlade on April 22
Rules clarification please. When launching fighters from Agility 6 carriers (crusaders) do the agility 8 fighters get to attack on that turn or the next turn?
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Michael Matecha on April 23
Good question!
The Fighters currently in ICA and ICF can not activate on the turn they are launched.
They activate first (usually) on the next turn. Carriers are high priority targets since your opponent will try to take it out with all fighters aboard but the Carrier ability lets you drop the Fighters before moving into engagement. On the next turn the agile Fighters can leap frog over your forward line and into the fray.
Hopefully the empty Carrier will be seen as less a threat.In a standard game I'd send the Carrier in anyway as extra firepower or as fodder but in a linked series of missions it might be wise to keep the carrier back to retrieve Fighters if you need to retreat and preserve forces for the next engagement.
The revised rules will be crystal clear on when Fighters may launch and how the Carrier ability functions.
Thanks!
-Mike(Fallow)Matecha
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on April 12
James Kato
Posted project update #10New Expansion for Imperial Crusade Armada
Post CommentI just wanted to announce that Imperial Crusade Freedom is now available for preorder on Kickstarter. It introduces two new factions (Outland Alliance and Freetrade Coalition) to the Imperial Crusade universe. These new factions can be used to fight the fleets of the Imperium or the Star Republic. Freedom is also a standalone game that does not require Armada to play.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/139696320/imperial-crusade-freedom-another-unique-space-comb
If you like deck building card games and collectible card games, you'll love Wizard's Tournament. It a fantasy deck building card game with beautiful art and quick game play. Each copy of Wizard's Tournament has everything needed for up to four players to play.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/139696320/wizards-tournament
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on April 12
James Kato
commented on a projectI think a good solution to the problem of icon recognition is to place a shaped icon inside the square. I'm thinking of something like a sword inside the red Power icon. I'd like to hear what type of internal icons I should put in each of the three squares (blue, red, and green). Please leave comments if you have any ideas.
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on April 12
James Kato
commented on a projectThe plastic cards are really expensive to manufacture so after my experience with printing Imperial Crusade Armada I realized that I had to change something. I'm positive that the current pledges of one or two copies can at least break even. I've lowered costs by having less types of cards but the same number of cards in each box. I also plan to control the stretch goals this time because I really want to release the final six factions for the game so I need the game to be self sustaining. I've always tried my best to keep the price of the game as low as possible.
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on April 11
James Kato
commented on a projectFor the Imperial Crusade Armada Kickstarter campaign I lost money on every pledge with an extra set of cards and tokens so I no longer have that option available.
James Kato
Fountain Valley, CA
I have been a chemistry teacher for fifteen years and have been playing games my entire life. I have recently released a few games to the public through my company JEN Games.
These tape measures are FANTASTIC! The best I ever had. Thanks for including them James.
I too was worried we might not make it, but we lucked out. I'm just sad we missed the stretch goals. :( Btw Michael, I read your version of the rules and was really impressed. I think I will greatly enjoy the game and so glad I discovered this KS since I missed the first one.
Cool, thanks for the tape measures!
(Add them to the box content list though, to avoid confusion)