[Diaspora] Diaspora questions

[David Dunham]

I've read through the game in short order (it arrived yesterday), and am itching to play.

I think I'd have more questions if I wasn't familiar with SotC. Still, I do have some questions...

Compels: looks like these are intentionally different from SotC, in that there's no counter-bid.

I think I'm missing something about the Weapon Familiarity rules (p. 43). Why not always take archaic weaponry or precollapse weaponry? Gives you a much better range of choices than putting points into Culture/Tech.

The Alter a Track rules (p. 48) seem inconsistent. They're said to improve "one of your stress tracks" but Lucky affects all of them?

As a fencer, I'm bothered by the inability to use your sword to attack and defend (p. 101). I think I understand the game logic, but it's one of the few places that the abstraction feels like it gives the wrong feel.

At the same time, it seems like spaceship combat is the only time this rule is not in place? You can use Beams to attack in the Beam phase, and defend in the Torpedo phase. And it looks like a character's Gunnery skill is also used in both phases.

I think I understand the logic for the Sitting Duck aspect used for composure attacks without a weapon (p. 102), but I can easily imagine them being made from behind cover. Any amplification of this?

The equipment tables (p. 118) confuse me a bit. Are the stunts always there? What's the disadvantage to taking a crossbow with the Civilian stunt? (It costs less, and everyone can use it.) Or are all crossbows Civilian? In which case, they must cost 1 not 2 because that stunt reduces the cost?

You describe beam weapons as including rockets (p. 132). What then are torpedoes? (I think including the word "guided" would have helped.)

None of these are show-stoppers, but I'd appreciate any clarifications. Thanks!

David Dunham   
Glorantha/HQ/RQ page: www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html