Someone recently suggested that the Nova cannon and Wave guns weren't so
impressive now that plasma bolt launchers were on the scene. I've hardly any
experience with them, so I looked them up. They're due for some rules
clarification, if nothing else.
How do they interact with armour?
a) Like K-guns
b) Like plasma bolts c) Like pulse torpedoes d) Ignore armour boxes (snail
killers)
I'm also inclined to say that wave guns should have faster recharge rates (say
every other turn) and don't damage the owner when lost to thresholds. Perhaps
with screens being a less dominant feature of the game, the wave gun could be
affected by screens (like plasma bolts are, for example), and could be
expanded to have the F arc (which is significantly smaller than it once
was).
The Nova Cannon is another weapon which might benefit from having slightly
fewer restrictions, though I can't think of many. Perhaps a single arc of
fire, perhaps allowing acceleration, deceleration (no turns), PDS (strictly as
point defence) and ADFC, but no fighter launches or recoveries, on the turn it
is fired. Also, I'd consider allowing the firer to keep his screens up, since
we want screens and armour to be relatively balanced ship defences, but armour
is unaffected by firing a nova cannon and screens are
not...
> Someone recently suggested that the Nova cannon and Wave guns weren't
I disagree, but I'll roll with it for now.
> How do they interact with armour ?
This would be my vote.
> I'm also inclined to say that wave guns should have faster recharge
Here's where our opinions diverge in a big way. IMO the Wave Gun and Nova
Cannon are already "over the top" in terms of balance. Adding abilities would
be akin to throwing a match info a bonfire.
I'd be one of the first to say that they need to be "axed" all-together,
and replaced with something better thought out in terms of balance and
effects from the get-go. Say, the Heavy Beam, or some other such weapon.
G'day guys,
> Someone recently suggested that the Nova cannon and Wave guns weren't
I can't speak for the original poster (Glenn I think), but they're weren't
so impressive anymore full stop (even pre-plasma bolt). Sorry Schoon I
just don't agree with you here, I don't think they're unbalancing in fact
given
the amounts of damage dished out by other weapons the wave gun/nova
cannon just aren't worth the effort as they stand (making sure you can't fire
anything else, but being a natural fire magnet themselves).
> How do they interact with armour ?
We've been playing c (I think we used to play d at some point).
> I'm also inclined to say that wave guns should have faster recharge
I actually don't mind those facets
> Perhaps with screens being a less dominant feature of the game, the
Not a bad idea. Do you mean though that it fires with existing template,
but anywhere in the front arc or that it now covers the front, a bit too
wide I would've thought (I've been playing with the idea of just twice as wide
as is now)? If you are increasing the size of the template I'd go further and
say damage is only done to ships whose centre falls within the arc of fire.
> The Nova Cannon is another weapon which might benefit from having
Same question as for wave guns here.
> perhaps allowing acceleration, deceleration (no turns),
Not in favour of that one.
> PDS (strictly as point defence) and ADFC,
While I understand the motivation I probably wouldn't do this either. I'd
personally prefer to make it worth the risk of not being able to do anything
else that turn, rather than having a smaller effect and keep your defenses,
but that's just me.
Cheers
Beth
In answer to Beth's question regarding arcs, I thought we might allow the nova
cannon and wave gun to use the current templates, but rather than firing them
straight forward allow the "line of fire" to be any ray in the front arc.
And I'd already assumed they only damaged ships whose centre falls in the area
of effect.
> McCarthy, Tom wrote:
> In answer to Beth's question regarding arcs, I thought we might allow
*When* do they choose the "line of fire" - when the fire is declared
(phase 4 according to your "further thoughts" post), or when it is resolved
(phase 8)?
If it is in phase 4, the player needs to write it down - and he'll
probably need a protractor to resolve the fire, too. (Unless of course the
template is placed in phase 4 and moved in phase 8, but in this case the ship
will quite often move through the template it just fired. Easy to get around,
eg. by specifying that the template only hurts if *it* moves over *you*
(instead of the other way around), but the new rule needs to take this into
account.)
If it is in phase 8, the weapon will *always* hit - even missiles or
fighters, given the order of resolution (PB, spinals, missiles, fighters) you
specified.
Regards,