Thursday 12 April 2012

Delta Vector the Game #3 Movement - Gravity & Planets

I know gravity well and orbital speed are affected by other factors besides planetary mass, but I am going to keep it simple. 

I think another rule I will make is that if a space object has less than a 2" radius it has no gravity well, to simplify identifying and using asteroid fields... (I'll need rules for them too I suspect)


Planets have a gravity well equal to their radius. It pulls ships drift markers towards the planet. 

Planets have an orbital speed equal to their diameter. Any ship entering the gravity well at a velocity under orbital speed will have the option of entering orbit. Unless their engines are out, in which case it will be a bumpy landing of crashy explodey kind. 

Ships can circle the planet within the gravity well at orbital speed indefinitely or can break orbit at any time by using thrust.

OTHER PLANET RULES
Satellite bases obviously orbit planets like an orbiting ship does. 

Planets block line of sight.

If a ship's move passes through a planet, is it assumed to have passed over the planet.  Move the drift marker back towards the planet.  If this causes the ship's move to end inside a planet, see the rules below. 

If a ship's move ends inside a planet, then (a) if it's velocity is orbital speed or less it can enter mandatory orbit on the side it entered the gravity well OR (b) if it is travelling faster than orbital speed it will crash and explode

1 comment:

  1. I'm going through your notes after I saw this on TMP:
    http://firebroadside.blogspot.com/2012/04/delta-vector-game.html

    I just wanted to state that the stem on the CD box base could be used to peg a styrofoam ball planet:

    http://www.michaels.com/tools-and-accessories/styrofoam/809188368

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