Blog Post: The Spartan Engine

[Ruckdog]

Another blog post! This time, I'm taking a look at what made the Spartan Games, such as Uncharted Seas, Firestorm Armada, and Dystopian Wars, feel so distinctive:

http://www.manbattlestations.com/blog/2018/02/23/the-spartan-game-engine/

[Covertwalrus]

 A very interesting rundown and some excellent points made. I've always thought that the Spartan game engine and the one in FT were similar except that the module idea from Spartan did allow for that flexibility that permitted new iterations to be made was the telling point of difference. Moreover, the modular system did make it much easier for a player with basic understanding to play one of the other systems without a lot of new learning to be done.

 And as a historical note, and in case some people missed it first time around, this might be interesting too - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l97fE1Mr8uk

[Easy E]

A solid overview. 

I was never very fond of how their activation phase worked.  Alternate activation is fine as a mechanic, but it meant fleets seemed to act in a disjointed way as individual actors as opposed ot operating together as a fleet.  I really do not have a better solution thought as I-GO-U-GO allows fleet actions together, but has its own drawbacks.  Many of the same drawbacks are also found in Alternating Phase activation systems as well.  Perhaps a "Push Your Luck" system would be best?   

[Fracas]

A solid overview. 

I was never very fond of how their activation phase worked.  Alternate activation is fine as a mechanic, but it meant fleets seemed to act in a disjointed way as individual actors as opposed ot operating together as a fleet.  I really do not have a better solution thought as I-GO-U-GO allows fleet actions together, but has its own drawbacks.  Many of the same drawbacks are also found in Alternating Phase activation systems as well.  Perhaps a "Push Your Luck" system would be best?

 How about:
1st of your activation is automatic, second activation to immediately follow requires a roll, the third slightly harder to achieve, then so on and so forth. Failure means activation passes to the other player. When it is your activation again, you must start with the squadron that last failed to activate.

[Ruckdog]

A solid overview. 

I was never very fond of how their activation phase worked.  Alternate activation is fine as a mechanic, but it meant fleets seemed to act in a disjointed way as individual actors as opposed ot operating together as a fleet.  I really do not have a better solution thought as I-GO-U-GO allows fleet actions together, but has its own drawbacks.  Many of the same drawbacks are also found in Alternating Phase activation systems as well.  Perhaps a "Push Your Luck" system would be best?

 How about:
1st of your activation is automatic, second activation to immediately follow requires a roll, the third slightly harder to achieve, then so on and so forth. Failure means activation passes to the other player. When it is your activation again, you must start with the squadron that last failed to activate.

I have to be honest, I never really minded the Spartan Engine's alternating activation system. For fleet games, I like it a lot better than the UGOIGO format of games like BFG.

That being said, have either of you tried out the "blind draw" activation method outlined in the DW 2.5 rulebook? It's basically the same system that Bolt Action uses.