We played our first game of Intercept Orbit, after having successfully introducing my Play Group to the MF0 Ruleset.
The response - was tepid.
Yes - Movement takes some getting used to - with the Template being flipped multiple times, and frowned at how to best position it in order to gauge a turn.
There was some furrowed brows regarding the differences between Capital Ships and Frigates, and why Frame Companies (which we designed as Fighter Squadron Models) - seemed so much stronger than BOTH, once the ACE company's bonuses were explained.
But - the rule that broke the game's back - was "Launching & Boarding".
Hypothetical:
A stalling player has TWO Capital Ships, and THREE Frame Companies (One of the CSHIPS, has a double catapult).
After most everyone in an area of the board has moved, the stalling player launches THREE Frame Companies at THREE different ships, none being armed with Point Defense.
Mind you, this is from ACROSS THE BOARD (Three Feet Real Scale).
At the end of the turn, all Frames are intact, and roll 1 yellow die, (two for the Ace).
If NONE of these four dice, are 1's or 2's - the Stalling player captures all three ships?
The Captured ships player, gets NO dice if he's not equipped with Point Defense?
If there's a Company on board the defender, do THEY add Yellow dice to the defense?
Boarding just seemed completely arbitrary, and not at all in the spirit of the genre.
We'd barely finished ONE game, and were already talking about House Ruling these options:
1) Launched Companies are placed within Assault Range of the Launching Ship.
2) Ships defend with Yellow Dice equal to the remaining Systems on the defending ship, including non-launched companies.
Please tell me we got *something* wrong, or that the proposed House Rules will break the game harder.
They're already trying to convince me to convert the 23 or so Ships I hobbled together, back into Mobile Frames for :RA.
And that would be a waste of a tableful of glorious Jet Black Fleece.