Having played Cosmic Balance again for the first time in years (thanks again
to whoever posted the site) I found I enjoyed its variety of weapons. Both
Cosmic Balance and Star Fleet Battles have a category of weapon missing
from Full Thrust that have been very interesting: multi-turn arming
weapons.
The Cosmic Balance has three of these: a two-turn arming disruptor which
is
the best weapon at close range in the entire game, a two-turn arming
pulse cannon (my favorite!!) which is designed to penetrate shields and a
three-turn arming plasma torpedo (a seeking energy projectile which
damages the ship across three of its six facings at once).
It occurs to me that these weapons would not be difficult at all to
incorporate into Full Thrust. The disruptor could be some variant on Adam
Delafield's close range beam battery design, except it would probably have to
do even more damage to compensate for its firing only once every turn. (This
weapon would also resemble the fusion beams of Star Fleet Battles which have
to cool a turn after firing).
The pulse cannon could be a beam battery that has some other reduction by
screens than the existing scheme (to represent its greater
screen-penetrating abilities) perhaps a reduction of dice or points of
damage per level of screens. I don't know.
The plasma torpedo could be a seeking weapon that would move like a missile
(although it would probably be more maneuverable) but would first require
powering. It could either require three turns of charging or use the existing
wave gun charging mechanism. Plasma torpedoes would be most interesting if
combined with the directional armor proposal as they could damage not only the
armor facings they hit but both adjacent ones as well.
What do you think, sirs?
James
> In message <19961119014419.AAA1903@LOCALNAME> JAMES BUTLER writes:
<trim>
> It occurs to me that these weapons would not be difficult at
I'm probably too new to the game to start designing, but I'll give something a
shot. This isn't a disruptor beam, but I'll give it a shot at the weekend.
Cluster Bomb Rack Mass ?? Points 10
The cluster bomb rack is a large, unweildy box on the rear of the carrying
ship. In it is contained a group of bombs, miniature plasma reactors, strapped
to short-burn engines. The bombs are given a simple guidance system
(similar to those of mines), and release as a ship passes another. The rack
contains 3 cluster bombs. They may be fired at any point in the ship's
movement, and are placed in the same position as mines. You may fire one per
turn per rack. Then place a card chit on one of the opposing ships; this is
designated the target ship. Every movement phase, before any ships move, the
bomb floats 6" towards the target ship. It cannont (doesn't need to) use
thrust, it simply moves 6". If the bomb comes into contact with the ship
model, it detonates like a Plasma Torpedo; that is, 1d6 points of damage to
the hull, regardless of screens.
The bombs may be attacked by PDAF/ADAF. If you wish to use them in
this way,
you may not attack any fighters that turn. Roll a D6; on a 5-6 the bomb
is destroyed.
Comments/flames?
<trim>
> What do you think, sirs?
Good idea. I'd like to see some more weapons in FT. Mind you, I don't have MT
yet.
> James
> On Tue, 19 Nov 1996, JAMES BUTLER wrote:
> Having played Cosmic Balance again for the first time in years
Two words - Wave Gun
The rules for the wavegun can be incorporated to make super-torpedoes
which would be the only other type of mega weapon that you would really need,
a short ranged powerful weapon to match the range of the wwave gun. Or
alternatively you could alter the savasku rules for batteries to
make multi-turn weapons.
--Binhan
Thomas writes,
> I'm probably too new to the game to start designing, but I'll give
Never too new to start designing! ;-)
> Cluster Bomb Rack Mass ?? Points 10
Based on your description, I'd say it ought to cost more than a minelayer,
which is 3 mass and 10 points. Maybe Mass: 4, cost 15?
> The cluster bomb rack is a large, unweildy box on the rear of the
> ship's movement, and are placed in the same position as mines. You
Nice! But maybe the bomb should only have a certain number of turns before it
runs out of power?
> The bombs may be attacked by PDAF/ADAF. If you wish to use them in
In MT, missiles can be intercepted the same way, but only on a roll of 6 due
to their small size. However, I'd say a cluster bomb would be less agile than
a missile, so a 5-6 to intercept makes sense.
Scott
BRASSIERE: The original anti-gravity device.
> On Tue, 19 Nov 1996, JAMES BUTLER wrote:
> The plasma torpedo could be a seeking weapon that would move
This is what we are going to try for plasma torps in an upcoming campaign:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++
General rules: Each torpedo moves and attacks in the same manner as a missile.
Damage from the torpedo ignores shields and Kra'Vak style armor. The torpedo
has a seeking life equal to the number of dice of damage it has (so a type 'S'
will last for three turns on the board). At the end of each turn the torpedo
loses one dice in damage strength so that on its last turn it simply fades
away (so that on the first turn an 'S' torp would do 3 dice of damage and on
the third turn it would do 1 dice of damage). PDAF and ADAF offer no defense
against the Plasma Torpedo, rather normal battery fire can be used to reduce
the damage. A ship (any ship, at any range) may choose to devote some of its
battery (AA,A,B,C) fire to destroy the incoming Plasma Torp. For each point of
damage done to the torpedo by the battery fire it will do one less point of
damage against any target it may hit. The arming of a torpedo is handled in
much the same way as a Wave gun. Each turn a dice is rolled for each torpedo
that is to be armed and a total is kept for each torp. When the total is equal
to the number of dice in that torpedo type then the torpedo may be fired.
Plasma Torpedo, type 'D':
Mass: 1 Cost: 10, may only fire from 1 arc
The type D is a short range weapon. It has a beginning strength of only 1
dice. It may however target and destroy fighters and missiles. If a fighter or
missile is within 6 inches of a type D then the torpedo may choose to attack
the missile or fighter(s). A missile is automatically destroyed on a roll of 5
or 6 on d6, in the case of a fighter group the squadron will suffer d6
casualties (as per Kra'Vak Scattergun). As the D has only 1 dice of damage no
roll should be made for arming it, it may fire each turn.
Note: the type D can be death for fighter wings and missiles. It is designed
for a race that would have no other defense against such weapons and this
ability should probably be deleted for races that have access to other tech
(PDAF, etc). If you go this route I suggest that you allow
the D to be given multiple arcs at a cost of +3 points per arc.
Plasma Torpedo, type 'S':
Mass: 3 Cost: 20, may only fire from one arc
The type S torpedo has a beginning strength of three dice.
Plasma Torpedo, type 'R':
Mass: 5 Cost: 30, may only fire from one arc
The type R torpedo has a beginning strength of 6 dice. Only Capital class
ships may mount a type R torpedo.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++
I was thinking that the type R needs something to make it stand out. Maybe the
multi arc damage to armor that you mentioned. Possibly adding pseudo plasma
torps is a thought also.
In message <961120132429_1783487770@emout07.mail.aol.com>
> FieldScott@aol.com writes:
<G>
> > Cluster Bomb Rack Mass ?? Points 10
That sounds reasnoble. Mind you, if I give it a limited lifetime it'll be
slightly less effective. After all, mines last the entire game.
> > ship model, it detonates like a Plasma Torpedo; that is, 1d6
Hmm. Maybe. Perhaps 3 or 5?
> > The bombs may be attacked by PDAF/ADAF. If you wish to use them
Oh. Well, glad to see I'm thinking along the same lines as MT <G>.
Does anyone have any views/opinions? Would you play against it/use it?
> Scott