Monday, February 14, 2022

Titanomachina on Tabletop Simulator: Wave 5

Titanomachina is still on Tabletop Simulator (TTS). Certainly I don't like how they've handled the recent controversy, although I do approve of them flushing the global chat and donating $10k to a LGBT+ charity, but they're far ahead of competitors when it comes to accessibility usability. I don't know if I can be fussy about my choice of platform; I certainly haven't received any feedback about it. In terms of available platforms, I only have one machine that can handle Tabletop Playground, and I have yet to work up the energy (and budget) to add Titanomachina to Tabletopia. I'm going to proceed with adding waves of Titans (figurines, dashboard cards, Titan decks) to the existing set and updating the rule book on TTS when I get up the gumption to update the diagrams and finesse the rules. Perhaps my next step should be getting back to my Patreon account and using it to pay for this expensive hobby... 

Nonetheless, I am adding a 5th wave of Titan configurations to the sixteen existing Titan configurations already up on Tabletop Simulator. I keep adding these waves because, while the game is designed around players swapping out physical parts of their Titans (arms, legs, weapons, torsos, turrets, etc) as well as cards and dashboards, I lack the wherewithal to implement that in TTS. So instead I've been uploading what I think are interesting configurations that players can try. This wave could be considered the demolition wave, designed to inflict maximum long-ranged damage on both enemy Titans and their buildings, but mainly on their buildings. 

Styxx is the first configuration of the 5th wave, and includes two jump jets (Plasma Jets & Thrusters), and two capacitors (Plasma Capacitor, Plasma Cell). The combination Rocket Pod and Macro Laser gives Styxx the tools to hammer buildngs and Titans, especially if an opponent can be caught trying to take a breather. Aside from having maximum-ranged weapons, this configuration of Styxx should still be able to bounce around the board like a spastic bullfrog.  


Eos is similarly armed, but goes in a different direction, trading in the jump jets for Arms, and trading in a sponson for an additional Rocket Pod. With four lower powered limbs Eos should have more defensive options than Styxx while leaning much more heavily towards anti-building firepower. The Laser Battery is more of a weapon of opportunity than the Macro Laser, but it can still be used to drill out an enemy arm, leg, or sensor with sufficient softening up via Rocket Pods and capacitors, or operated by sufficiently senior crew. 


Tethys gives up the notion of efficiently destroying buildings altogether, although with two arms and two sponsons this configuration of Tethys is either going to need to charge up an alpha strike to get through opponent shields, or grind away cover with the Laser Batteries so enemies can't hide from the Macro Lasers. 


Where Tethys invests heavily into lasers, Eos into Rocket Pods, Styxx into a synergistic mix, Rhea has guns. Lots of guns. Armed with two Mega Guns and two Macro Guns, this configuration of Rhea is going to make a horrific mess of anyone and anything on the receiving end, capable of pushing an opponent six squares across the board, potentially through buildings even when they're not the primary target. Directed against buildings, the Mega Guns will allow Rhea to maximize the indiscriminate effect of the Macro Guns, clearing paths of movement and fire through intervening buildings. Like all of Rhea's configurations, this one is a bully.