Star Traders: Frontiers Update #53: Field of Fire

[fallen]

Update #53 lands with an all new Job, new types of Talents, exciting new weapon rules, improved enemy AI and a pile of UI quality of life improvements. It's a big one and there will be big ones to follow! The v2.2.x family of development is churning out some major improvements now that we've cleared the v2.1.x hurdles.

First, a huge thanks to all of our KickStarter backers, Patreons and every captain who has left a review on the game. You are all helping make this possible!

Sniper Job

Sniper is the first new Job released during EA and adds a new level of tactics and build choices to the Rifle-based combatant. Specializing in Stealth, massive Piercing %, and single-shot abilities, the Sniper prefers to take a target out in a single hit from the 4th position. Snipers may live much of their life in Initiative Penalty, so their shots will ring out at a staccato rhythm.

Sniper's also introduce a brand new type of Talent -- the On Initiative Debuff. Once a round when Initiative is rolled, one On Init Buff or Debuff will activate from each team. Snipers bring one of these automatic debuff to the field of battle. More Jobs will gain On Initiative Debuffs down the line, but this is a great start in deepening the decision matrix around what On Init Talents to invest in!

Weapon Limitations

Improving the tactics of Rifle-based combat also requires additional rules for the major weapon variations -- Sniper Rifles and Snubbers. New position limitations have been added for both, preventing the sniper from firing from up close and the snubber from firing from far away. In short -- regardless of your Talents a Snubber can never fire from the 4th position and a Sniper Rifle can never fire from the first position, unless that crew member is the last surviving crew. While this will have little impact on most builds, it helps reinforce the position from which theses weapons are best used.

UI Improvements

Now that we've reached the v2.2.x family, we have a long list of UI improvements that we are coming back around to finishing. We've added more details to the Talent detail area describing its specific rules, about how crew and ship combat buffs and debuffs work, and any weapon limitations impact on the Talent's abilities.

We've also been fixing issues with mousewheel scrolling not working as expected. We've started this process with the System Atlas, Contacts, Missions, Factions and Rumors list.

In prep for customized keybindings, we've been adding more and fixing issues with them.

Any filter that involves Stars is now using OR logic, allow you to see both the red and yellow starred contacts quickly.

v2.2.31 - 4/15/2018

- Added new specialist Job: Sniper! Backline, take cover and one-shot!
- 10 new Talents, many new combinations for Rifle Skilled combatants, new Stealth Talents
- New Talent Type "On Initiative Debuff" drops a debuff on the enemy at start of turn
- Most "On Init" Talents adjusted to have 3 Turn Duration to their Buffs/Debuffs
- Snipers can be recruited from Contacts: Erik Faen, Weapons Smuggler, Court Assassin
- New Contact Trait "Ruthless" spurns all peaceful missions and hires out Snipers
- New limitation on Sniper Rifle Weapons -- cannot be fired from the front rank unless last crew alive
- New limitation on Snubber Weapons -- cannot be fired from the 4th rank ever
- Improved enemy crew combat AI's thinking about changing positions
- Fixed issue with enemy crew combat AI cheating when it comes to moving Pinned
- Star filters for Contacts, Crew List and Atlas all function on an "OR" rule
- Added useful details to Talent leveling screen about each Talent type
- Added personal objective in regards to Valencia being aboard your ship
- Fixed Mass inconsistencies for Medium sized Torpedoes and Plasma Cannons
- Fixed scrolling issues with screens with multiple panels, weapon/armor/gear screens
- Fixed crashes in "Undisclosed Location" mission
- Skip Off the Void no longer grants an XP to crew upon use
- Escape key closes game menu

[John Robinson]

fallen
Sniper is a secondary job? You don't start a new template Captain as a Sniper. (same as diplomat secondary job).

1.) You could have a Captain = Merchant, Sniper, Soldier. But not Sniper, Merchant, Soldier.

2.) Is it illegal to have something crazy like; Merchant, Pistoleer, Sniper?

3.) Sniper has two "On init" talents.  Dominate Eye, and Target Acquired.  If I have both, it's random which one goes off? 

4.) When you said "Once a round when Initiative is rolled, one On Init Buff or Debuff will activate from each team."
 
That's a little confusing.

Does that mean my Pistoleer's Raining Steel wouldn't go off if the Sniper's Dominate Eye went first?  Same question for Soldier's Ferocity.
Swordsman's Bravery Line?

In other words each team will be limited to one character getting a  successful on init roll per combat round?

5.) Talent "One Shot" initiative = 2X wep.  Using a Mensin Sniper rifle would cost 36 initiative?  I'm wondering how to get that much initiative.

Excellent all around.  Great idea changing filters from "and" to "or", definitely saves on mouse clicks, and my own memory errors. 

[fallen]

1. You cannot start a Captain as a Sniper.
2. It is 100% standard Job, so you can do any combo you like.
3. Yes.
4. That is correct. One buff from the team's set of buffs (or now debuffs) goes off per turn. The buffs don't get added to the list if they are already active, so if turn 1 your soldier's ferocity goes off, it won't go off again until 3 turns later, guaranteeing that your Pistoleer's Raining Steel will go off, etc.
5. You don't need all the Initiative to use the ability. You fire One Shot with 1 Initiative point left. When you get to -10, you go into Initiative Penalty for the next round. As mentioned, Snipers live in Init penalty alot.

[John Robinson]

Apr 15, 2018 19:47:45 GMT -5 fallen said:

5. You don't need all the Initiative to use the ability. You fire One Shot with 1 Initiative point left. When you get to -10, you go into Initiative Penalty for the next round. As mentioned, Snipers live in Init penalty alot.

Answer number 4 & 5 big help!
Remember the Weapons & Combat Initiative thread.

By pure luck, I wrote this thread with surprising clarity. I want to add the effects of "Initiative Penalty" without confusion.

1.) If my Sniper has a maximum of 22 initiative.

Starting round-1 the sniper can still use the "One shot" talent for a cost of 36 initiative.
 
That activates Initiative Penalty of -14 for next round.

Each new round normally resets a character's initiative.

Will the Sniper start round-2 with (22 -14 ) = 8 initiative.  Or (22 - 4 ) = 18 initiative. 

Basically do you pay off your full initiative debt, or just anything over -10?

2.)  If the Sniper has an Initiative Penalty of -22 or higher he can not participate in the next round?
      In other words if his round-1 deficit is higher than his normal maximum he will do nothing.
Thanks 
      

[fallen]

1/2) Initiative Penalty is not about paying off the debt. Your roll your Initiative, but it has a hard cap of 8. So, -10 is just as bad as -22.