ARCH OMEGA
DESIGNER NOTES
Countless Eons ago, the Engineer recorded the Genetic Patterns from a Chaotic Sector and worked with the Gardener to Seed a Whole New Galaxy. This New Galaxy was to be a Virtual Paradise in the Fullness of Time. The Archaeologist and the Anthropologist contributed to the Creation of this New Paradise, providing the Essential Clues that would allow the Many Species to Discover their True Identity when they were Advanced Enough. The Evolutionist ensured that each Life Form would Evolve according to a Definitive Timeline. This New Galaxy would come to be known as Arch Omega. But it would Not be the Paradise that the Creators intended it to Be…
Arch Omega takes Omega Technology and brings it to a Whole New Level. Not in the sense of X-Technology, but rather in Unique Combinations of Technology that create something Never Seen Before. These Strange and Different Empires are eerily reminiscent of Omega Empires, but are clearly New Evolutions. They are Chimeras, the Mixing Together of Forbidden Technologies to make the Unheard Of…Manifest. It is not my intention to argue about Tech Sloshing or Keeping Each Empire Unique. The Goal of Arch Omega is to make something Tactically Different, Tactically Interesting, and Tactically Challenging on the Tabletop. The Technobabble that makes this possible is really Irrelevant.
Arch Omega does not employ Warp Drive (except for a few very rare exceptions). Instead, the Galaxy known as Arch Omega developed Quantum Transporters to explore Deep Space. However, despite their Advanced Technology, Arch Omega Heavy Cruisers start out with a Set of Quantum Transporters whose maximum potential is much less than 32 Hexes per Turn. In this way, Arch Omega Heavy Cruisers are similar to the Original Omega Heavy Cruisers that also did not start out with Full 30 Warp.
Arch Omega does not employ Shields (except for a few rare exceptions). Instead, the Empires of Arch Omega employ Ceramic Composite Armor that protects All Six Directions. To compliment this, every Arch Omega Starship has been fitted with Transporter Collector Cannons. These unique weapons function as Arch Omega’s “Heavy Phasers” of sorts, allowing the Arch Omega starship to replenish its Ceramic Composite Armor if it scores Internal Damage against an Unprotected Target Ship. While Transporter Collector Cannons are highly Energy Efficient, they also possess a Profound Limitation. Like the Hypercannon, they can only fire along a Spine Hex. If a Target is outside of the Spine Hex, the Transporter Collector Cannon suffers a Penalty to hit it.
Because of the Lack of Warp Drive, each Arch Omega Starship must be carefully examined in terms of its Power Curve. Quantum Transporters do not require energy, so whatever Power is generated by the Arch Omega Starship will be used for Weapons, Damage Control, Life Support, Labs, Shuttles, and Other Devices. This Energy Management is Quite Different from Starships with the Usual 24-30 Warp Power. It only makes sense that Arch Omega Starships would have more Reserve Power than Normal.
Arch Omega Starships will utilize Omega Phasers, but only with the intention of complimenting the more powerful Transporter Collector Cannons. This means that the Number of Omega Phasers should be restricted and curtailed. The Primary Omega Phasers in use will be Wide Phasers, Micro Phasers, Radiation Phasers, Pulse Emitters, and Quantum Phasers (as the Tables are fairly Balanced). The other Omega Phasers (Anti-Proton, Particle, etc.) will be rarely employed (mostly because of their Unbalancing Nature).
Shuttle Bombs will be Standard in Arch Omega. Suicide Shuttles and Scatterpacks will be rare exceptions in Arch Omega, reserved only for Specific Empires. Short Range Cannons will be Standard Drone/Fighter Defense, taking the place of Anti-Drones. Fighters and Fast Patrol Ships will be Standard. Drone-like Weapons will be More Plentiful than in the Omega Sector.
The Typical Arch Omega Heavy Cruiser will only carry 2 Heavy Weapons, 2 Secondary Heavy Weapons (Drones), and possibly One Device. This is significantly less than an Alpha Sector Heavy Cruiser (which usually carries 4 Heavy Weapons, 2 Secondary Heavy Weapons (Drones), and one Device), or even an Omega Heavy Cruiser. On the whole, Arch Omega Heavy Cruisers will have Less Internals than their Alpha/Omega Counterparts, making them more Fragile in battle.
New Technology will be Introduced for each Arch Omega Empire on a Case by Case Basis. There must be a Tactical Need for the New Technology that makes sense. Also New Technology cannot be Overpowered or Unbalancing.
In Summary, Arch Omega is a New Galaxy where Starships use Quantum Transporters for Movement instead of Warp Drive. This changes the Tactical Dynamic, forcing New Tactics to Developed in order to be Victorious on the Battlefield. Obviously, Strategies involving Quantum Transporter Movement are much different than Strategies involving Warp Drive Movement. Transporter Collector Cannons introduce another Unique Element to Arch Omega Battles, but their effect on the overall game should be Minimal. Their replenishment of Ceramic Composite Armor will be Slow and Minor, hardly enough to gain a Significant Advantage. Still, their inclusion offers something different than simply standard Phasers. The Smaller Size and Reduced Quantity of Heavy Weapons offers another change to the standard Heavy Cruiser Size. Managing the Different Power Curves of Arch Omega is yet another challenge for the Arch Omega Captain to master. It should be clear, given the Design Paradigm, that Arch Omega is Not meant to be played against the Alpha Sector, or even the Omega Sector, which have much different ways of designing their Starships.
For the most part, Omega Weapons and Devices have been left to function as they normally do. This means that there is an inherent Imbalance between all the Phasers, Heavy Weapons, Drone-like Weapons, Plasma-like Weapons, Fighters, and Devices. Wildly Varying Range Brackets and Overload Ranges remain. This was done on purpose. Arch Omega does not seek to Restructure and Redesign each Weapon for Balance like the Proto Sector. Instead, the Imbalance and Chaotic Nature has been left in place to retain the original Omega Flavor.
It is True, the Empires of Arch Omega will fall short of the Paradise the Creators intended. Will they discover their True Heritage? Where will their Goals and Aspirations lead them? Will they Construct their Own Version of Utopia? And Will they Survive the Coming Period of Tribulation known as the TWILIGHT OF ARCH OMEGA?
