What would be the game effect of putting weapons in banks (ala Star Trek).
For instance, I'm thinking of playing Romulans in our local FT game. I'd like
to make the romulan plasmas feel a little different, but I have a very
conservative group.
What would be the game effect of having 4 classes of plasma torpedo, each of
which is essentially
a bank of 1-4 pulse torpedoes. In other words, a
class 3 plasma torpedo would be 3 pulse torpedoes in one bank. They would fire
together on one roll and either all hit or all miss. Further, they would only
have one roll on threshholds, all going out or all staying up.
Would that be more powerful, less powerful, or the same as buying the same
number of pulse torpedoes to fire normally?
If it turns out to be more powerful, what could be done to weaken it to
"normal" level?
> On Wed, 23 May 2001, David Griffin wrote:
> In other words, a
It's an interesting idea.
> Would that be more powerful, less powerful, or
They aren't more powerful. What they are is more random.
The odds are the same, over time, as non-banked weapons. With any one
roll, the chance of them all hitting is MUCH higher, but it also means that
the chance of them all missing is much higher. On average, they will do
exactly the same damage... On average. This is of little consequence to the
player who gets hit twice in a row with the entire bank (though that player is
likely to ignore the time or two when the bank misses).
It adds more randomness to the result. It's more "all or nothing". In previous
posts you've mentioned that you don't like luck getting in the way of skill in
FT's initiative system. This kind of weapon will introduce a greater luck
element to the game.
As for toning them down, I think the single threshold check will more than
compensate for them, if the mass and point totals are the same. The official
word from Jon is that he's leaning away from requiring a dedicated fire
control for pulse torpedoes, so that wouldn't be an issue. However, if I were
allowing these kinds of weapon banks, I WOULD require a dedicated Firecon to
fire a bank of torpedoes.
Very good answer, Let me just address a couple of points...
> --- agoodall@canada.com wrote:
That's true. What I'm trying to do though is to make it feel a little like the
Plasma torpedo I ran from in SFB;). In other words, when it hits, I want it to
hit hard. There are a number of good plasma torpedo rules on the net, but I
don't think I can get my group to buy them, so this is what I'm thinking of so
far using basically standard rules.
> As for toning them down, I think the single
Also a good suggestion. This adds a little added expense that would help
balance things I think.
> On Wed, 23 May 2001, David Griffin wrote:
> That's true. What I'm trying to do though is to
It will certainly do that!
> Also a good suggestion. This adds a little added
Well, the weapon is probably already "priced" right without this stipulation.
It doesn't really need a balance. The odds of hitting, and the average damage,
are the same as for four pulse torpedoes. The only difference is in the
standard deviation. It will seem overly powerful when it hits... but those
times it misses, it will be overly cheap.
It can be knocked out with one threshold check... but it can also be fully
repaired with one repair roll. I think those two cases offset each other.
The dedicated firecontrol, though, "feels" right for the weapon. Let us know
how it works, and if your group accepts it.
In message <20010523133910.6623.qmail@web9604.mail.yahoo.com>
> David Griffin <carbon_dragon@yahoo.com> wrote:
> What would be the game effect of putting weapons
Well, I've made the same suggestion - look under 'Heavy (Classed) Pulse
Torpedo' in Noam's Weapons and Defence Archive (which, if you message
sparks any discussion, will have become WotW #9.5 :-).
There is an alternative idea for a Romulan Plasma Torpedo in there as well
(its one of the two weapons named 'Plasma Torpedo' IIRC the other is a
Battlefleet Gothic conversion). This one is similar to the phalon Plasma
Bolts.
Or you could just use Phalon Plasma Bolts - or even go back to FT2 and
use a Nova Cannon :-) (at least 1 Star-Trek-FT conversion did that,
IIRC).
On 23-May-01 at 15:03, Charles Taylor (charles.taylor@cableol.co.uk)
wrote:
> There is an alternative idea for a Romulan Plasma Torpedo in there as
I've kind of wondered why nobody bothered to lift the "real" star trek Plasma
Torp. One of my fondest SFB memories is watching people panic when I fired one
of those off. The amusing thing is I never really did much damage. After
movement and beam fire there usually wasn't much left.
Instead of all that trouble, the Plasma Bolt Launcher from FB2 works really
well as a Plasma Torpedo.
George
[quoted original message omitted]
> --- stranger <stranger@cvn.net> wrote:
Yea, that was my first thought. I can't get the group to buy it though. But
then they won't buy anything really. Mores the pity
> I've kind of wondered why nobody bothered to lift the "real" star trek
Note: These rules written for FT2/MT. Have not converted to FB rules.
You may not like them as written, but maybe it will lead to a better set of
rules from someone else.
Plasma Torp: Charges as Wave Gun. Fires and Moves per MT Missile rules. First
turn Damage = 3d6, Second turn 2d6, Third 1d6. If it hasn't hit anything by
turn 3, remove from play.
Screens don't protect. Plasma Torp damage is determined when target ship fires
it's weapons. Batteries (Beams) can be used against Plasma Torp just before it
hits. Score hit's as if firing at unscreened starship. Deduct beam damage (if
any) from Plasma's damage result.
Pete
> --- stranger <stranger@cvn.net> wrote:
Too bad, that's what I do for my Trek ships. They need to get off the SFB box.
SFB is a good game, but is not the end all of Trek. As far as I know, SFB is
the only source that says Plasma weapons are seeking. In "Balance of Terror"
where we see it being used, no such claim is made. In the FASA Trek rules, the
Plasma Torpedo is in fact a direct fire weapon, NOT a seeking weapon!
If your friends want to stick to only "official" weapons systems, then the PBL
really seems to be the best choice.