Tabletop Spaceship Wargame Part 6, Questions with multiple answers

The game it starting to take a shape with these early builds. The next large step is to decide core foundation mechanics.

As an example, I'm going to jump ahead in the game's development to consider what kind of map and movement system will make up the game. There are may solutions to this problem, and each of them has objective quality - but only one overall system can be incorporated into my game.

This is where the core concepts of the game outlined in Part 3:

Emotion: Triumph

Goal 1: Accessible

Goal 2: Fast 

Goal 3: A wide variety of tactical options

Comparing a given mechanic to the list of game goals will guide this subjective business.

Movement

Freeform or Grid based

Freeform movement:

Requires a measuring component

Requires some method to measure turning radius

Rules must be coded for infinite vectors and subjective tests for relative positioning and terrain

Allows full freedom of movement within the constraints of a piece's characteristics

Imprecise

Grid based movement:
Requires a grid map to play on
Rules can be coded for a limited number of vectors and objective tests for relative positioning and terrain

Restricts movement and options to the grid
Precise and objective

Comparing these options leaves me with a single conclusion: in order to maintain the accessibility of the game and the rules, it will use a grid map to govern movement, firing arcs, line of sight, terrain features, and range measuring.

This places the burden of all those tasks onto the map component. This reduces the strain on the player by reducing the number or elements in flux at a given time and adds predictability for how the map and ships will behave.

This is going to be my method for making these kinds of choices in the future.