VBAM Second Edition Preview, Part 2:
Campaign Maps & Movement
In this second part of the VBAM Second Edition preview, we are releasing the current draft versions of the 2E Campaign Map and Movement rules. Taken together, these rules attempt to illustrate how players will create campaign maps in 2E and how their units will move on these maps.
VBAM 2E – Campaign MapsThe Campaign Maps chapter contains the rules for how to create campaign maps in 2E. In the new edition, several new types of campaign maps and jump lanes are introduced. The traditional 1E campaign map is now called a sector map. Maps of this type include one or more star systems, up to a maximum of 50 systems, that are connected by a web of Interstellar Lanes. Most campaigns will utilize a single sector map, however they need not be limited to that single type. Zooming out from the sector level we arrive at the galaxy map, which is a map of a single galaxy. This map is presented in a hex map configuration, and each hex represents a single sector — which means that a campaign run at this level would require a separate sector map for every galaxy map hex! Zooming out even further gives us the universe map. This map is similar to the galaxy map, except that every hex on a universe map contains a single galaxy.
Reviewers were notice that there is a level of detail greater than the sector hex: the system map. The rules for this map type are still in development and should end up being very similar to those for the sector map, but so far no system that we’ve tested has felt “right”. This issue will be cleared up before we go to press on the CAMPAIGN GUIDE, or else we will remove the rules from this book and save them for the COMPANION.
As hinted at before, there are now multiple different types of jump lanes. In fact, each jump lane is now defined by two characteristics: its jump lane type and its jump lane class. A jump lane’s type tells the player which type of propulsion technology is used to cross the lane, while the lane’s class determines how many points of equipment rating are required to cross the lane (called its movement cost). Ships use FTL rating to cross Interstellar or Sector Lanes, but they use Engine rating to cross Interplanetary Lanes or Intergalactic rating to cross Intergalactic Lanes.
One major issue that I could use feedback on in the Campaign Maps chapter is whether or not the order in which the rules are presented are confusing or not. Some of the rules that I moved to the end of the chapter were originally located under their associated campaign map type, but after additional reflection I decided to move them to the section of the rules that will contain a friendly overview of how to setup campaign maps for a new campaign. Obviously, the affected text copy is still very rough, even fragmentary in spots.
Moving on to the Movement chapter, what is presented there is the current draft of the jump lane movement, cargo handling, towing, and exploration rules. The Encounter rules are fragmentary, and I am still deciding how much of them need to be moved into this chapter from the Space Combat chapter. I am seriously considering moving all of them to this location. Expect an update in a few days with these sections fleshed out further.
A note on the Exploration Checks in this chapter: after much internal debate, we have opted to go back to a simple D100 “campaign check” system (instead of the 2D10 option that you may have seen on the forums). For all campaign checks, you take the check’s base success chance and add modifiers. This gives you a target value to roll against with a D100. If the die roll is less than or equal to this target number, then a success is scored. Otherwise, if the die roll is greater than the target, it is a failure. Additionally, if the die roll is odd than it will be a minor success/failure, while an even roll is a major success/failure. Each campaign check will then list the effects of these four possible results (major success, minor success, minor failure, major failure).
