Description

From the designer:

With Hostile Intent is a table-top starship combat game where players using fleets of starships, ranging from a few vessels to large squadrons, battle each other using strategy and tactics.

The game uses an inertia/vector based movement system and is hex-less - meaning ship placement and movement is not constrained to a location on a hex map or other specific playing surface. Movement and orientation are kept track of in three dimensions using a simple and intuitive (math-less) method of dealing with line of sight, along with easily understood indicators on the ship control sheets. Range determination is performed simply by measuring distance with a tape measure and checking a chart, to take into account altitude.

Damage is tracked through a common damage-box method with damageable systems individually represented, along with hit location charts on the ship control sheets. Weapon information is likewise available on the ship control sheets.

Aside from the 3D aspects of the game, here are some features in development which are not commonly found in starship combat games:

Computer Warfare - the ability for ships to infect enemy vessels with computer viruses, jam missile guidance systems, or even steal control of enemy weapons or systems.

Crew Levels - A ship may drop out of a fight if it takes too many losses to its crew.

Damage Control - Ships can make limited battlefield repairs, things like bringing a damaged weapon back online or getting a thruster to work again.

Fires - Ships can catch fire, fires can spread, and crew members can be sacrificed when fires are vented to space.

Fuel and cargo - Makes for a wider range of possible scenarios as well as a seamless tie-in to campaign games.

Adaptable Game System - While the game will provide its own exciting universe, from the ground up it is being designed with the intent that others can adapt it to their favorite universe with relative ease. Having this foundation will also give the game and its setting the ability to grow without the system falling apart or failing in some regard.

WHI will be consistent and predictable with its ability to simulate movement in space, but it will not be a rigid simulation or necessarily be mathmatically accurate. It will be relatively quick and easy to play but will not be simplistic. It will have a lot of detail suitable for a wide range of battle sizes as well as adaptation to other gaming applications (roleplaying, campaigns, etc), but will avoid being tedious or micromanagerial.

The goal is for the game to be fun to play, first and foremost.