Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site mtuxn.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtuxn!dossamg From: dossamg@mtuxn.UUCP (A.GOPIN) Newsgroups: net.games Subject: Star Fleet Battles Playtest Message-ID: <602@mtuxn.UUCP> Date: Tue, 30-Jul-85 10:43:23 EDT Article-I.D.: mtuxn.602 Posted: Tue Jul 30 10:43:23 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 31-Jul-85 05:20:45 EDT Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel NJ Lines: 85 If there are any Star Fleet Battles players out there who would like to help me out in testing the following new rule, please use it and send a report to me by 31 August. Thanks Alan Gopin ihnp4!mtuxn!dossamg a.k.a. Cat Who Steals The Stars STAR FLEET BATTLES ------------------ (FP90.0) USE OF PLASMA TORPEDOES AS DIRECT-FIRE WEAPONS (Provisional Rule for Playtest Purposes Only) Copyright (c) 1985 Amarillo Design Bureau Revised 29 July 1985 ======================================================================== Plasma torpedo launchers can be fired, within certain restrictions, as direct fire weapons, rather than as launchers for seeking weapons. This procedure is less efficient, but has certain tactical advantages. The method of firing in this mode is to modify the energy field holding the torpedo in the launcher in such a way that the matter-energy conversion will begin in the tube, rather than upon impact with the target. The torpedo energy is then released as a directed stream, in effect lasing. (FP90.1) AVAILABILITY All plasma torpedo launchers except those noted in (FP90.2), during all time periods, can be used in this mode. Using a given launcher in either mode does not restrict its future use (even within the same scenario) in the other mode. (FP90.2) RESTRICTIONS Certain types of plasma torpedoes cannot be used in direct-fire mode due to the nature of their operations. (FP90.21) Pseudo-plasma torpedoes cannot be used in direct-fire mode because they are not energy based weapons, but fixed-rounds stored in advance. Besides which, as no deception is possible, there would be no benefit to doing so. (FP90.22) Enveloping plasma torpedoes cannot be used in direct-fire mode due to the nature of their detonation, which surrounds the enemy ship before implosion. (FP90.23) Type-F plarma torpedoes are too small to be operated in this manner. (FP90.24) Plasma shotguns cannot be fired in this mode. The individual elements are to small to lase, and all will fuse into a single detonation. (FP90.3) OPERATION (FP90.31) The direct-fire mode of the plasma torpedo operates as any other direct-fire weapon. It is declared and resolved in the direct fire weapons phase, cannot be diverted as seeking weapons can, and cannot be intercepted or reduced by weapon's fire on the torpedo/beam itself. (FP90.32) The effect of electronic warfare on the fire of a plasma torpedo in direct-fire mode is resolved by (D6.36). While that is the chart for seeking weapons, its use does not indicate that the direct-fire mode of the plasma torpedo operates for any ther purpose as a seeking weapon. Torpedoes fired in direct mode do not have the built-in ECCM of seeking weapons. (FP90.33) To be fired as a direct-fire weapon, the plasma torpedo launcher must be fully charged and ready to fire. The decision to fire a plasma torpedo in either seeking or direct mode is made only at the instant of launch/firing. (FP90.34) There is no overload function for a direct-fire plasma torpedo. (FP90.4) COMBAT RESOLUTION The effect of a direct-Fire plasma torpedo is resolved as follows: A. The owning player indicates his intention to fire a plasma torpedo as a direct-fire weapon. As in all such cases, he designates the firing ship and the target. B. The probability of a hit is based on the effective range to the target and is given here. ------------------------------------------------ RANGE 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-31 HIT 1-5 1-4 1-3 1-2 1 MISS 6 5-6 4-6 3-6 2-6 ------------------------------------------------ C. The amount of damage scored is equal to one-half of the warhead strength at the true range to the target. Note that this can be reduced by the effects of ECM (which accounts for terrain and a host of other factors), the cloaking device, and other condiions. Retain fractions throughout the calculation, then drop all remaining fractions at the end. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Designer's Notes The concept of a direct-fire function for plasma torpedo launchers is not new, and has long been requested by the Gorns and Romulans alike. At one point, we had planned on adding a capability to fire photon torpedoes from the plasma launchers (when we switched to the Commander's Edition), but this proved impractical and the idea was dropped.