From: Charles Taylor <charles.taylor@c...>
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2001 15:37:17 +0100
Subject: [FT] really quick 'n' simple sensor rules
Hello all, some time ago I proposed a concept for a really simple sensor mechanic for Full Thrust, based largely on the concept that most of the sensor usage will be before the battle actually starts, and that the fleet with the best sensor intelligence will have some advantage in its initial positioning. Well, I've given the idea some more thought, and expanded it a bit, hopefully, what I've got is still useable :-). In most games, it becomes a single dice roll at the beginning of the game. The system is designed so that sensors _could_ play some part in 'pick up' and tournament play, and also be useable in campaign play (but see 'Things to do' later). Anyway:- ###################################################################### Really Simple Sensors The basic concept is that sensors are mostly used during the initial set-up of the scenario. The Basic Rules Sensor Systems Total up all the fire controls in a fleet, and divide by 10 (round to nearest whole number), add the number of enhanced sensor systems in fleet, and add 2x the number of superior sensor systems in the fleet. Roll that number of d6's, scoring them as beam dice (re-roll 6s), and total, this gives the sensor score of the fleet. The player with the lowest Sensor Score must set up their fleet first. For more than two players, the set-up is in order of lowest to highest. Halve the difference in score between the Sensor Scores of the winner and loser, rounded down, this is the number of free turns worth of acceleration the winner can add to their starting move above the maximum starting move of the scenario. For games with three or more sides, compare everyone's Sensor Scores against the lowest to determine how much acceleration they can add. If no specific starting move is specified, then the maximum starting move of any ship is half its total Sensor Score multiplied by its thrust rating. ECM Systems Ships with ECM are represented as an 'unidentified bogey' during set-up, and remain unidentified until they fire or get within identification range (q.v.) of an enemy ship. If a ship has area ECM, then all ships within the area are treated as unidentified while within the area, or until one of the conditions for identification given above occur. Unidentified ships can still be targeted by any weapons within range. Stealth, Decoy Drones and Weasel Systems If a ship has stealth, then it should be represented by a smaller model than its actual size until it reveals its capabilities (fires or gets within identification range of an enemy ship). If stealth level 1, it should be a model of a ship half its actual size, if stealth level 2, a model of a ship one-quarter of its size. Conversely, ships with weasel systems are represented by a model of a larger class of ship then they actually are. Decoy drones just get a model representing their decoy signature. Decoy drones are moved as if they were real ships, with a thrust of 6, and can be targeted by ship-scale weapons (despite being fighter or missile sized, as they are generating a large sensor blip). Any weapons hit will destroy a decoy drone. As an option, each decoy has 6 CEF, and applying up to 6 points of main drive or manoeuvre costs 1 CEF, the drone can spend up to 3 CEF per turn. Optional Rules Cloaking Devices Ships with cloaking devices can, of course, begin the game cloaked. However, if the fleet with a cloaked ship does not have the highest sensor score, then the player should reveal the initial location of the cloaked ship to any player with a higher score. A player may attempt a sensor sweep to detect a suspected, cloaked ship, this is carried out during the fire phase.. A ship must be activated to carry out a sensor sweep, roll 1d6 for every enhanced sensor system, or 2d6 for each superior sensor system. Any roll of 6 will give the location on the cloaked ship, or a roll of 5+ if the ship had been successfully detected the previous turn. Multiple ships can combine their sensor sweeps, and can use their basic sensors to assist. In this case, all ships should wait until the last one performing the sensor sweep is activated. The ships may use their fire control systems to assist the sensor sweep, divide the number of fire control systems being used this way by 10, rounding to the nearest whole number, this gives the number of additional d6s that can be rolled. Fire controls used in this way cannot be used to direct fire on the same turn. Ships with multiple fire control systems could use one to direct fire normally, while have some or all of the others assist in a sensor sweep later in the turn. The knowledge of the location of the cloaked ship is maintained until the cloaked ship's next movement phase. Sensor-Improved Targeting Enhanced or superior sensor systems can negate the effects of stealth systems if they are used to assist in targeting the stealth ship in addition to the fire control system. An enhanced sensor system can negate 1 level of stealth, while a superior sensor system can be used to negate two levels of stealth. Multiple sensor systems used to target a single ship have no cumulative effect. Enhanced or superior sensors can also aid targeting ships in dust clouds or nebulae (see More Thrust p.9), enhanced sensors used in conjunction with a fire control will allow a successful lock-on on a roll of 3+, while superior sensors allow a successful lock-on on a roll of 2+. Neither sensor system will negate the screening effect of the dust or nebula. MASS and Points Cost System MASS COST Identification Range Basic Sensors free with Fire Control 36 mu Enhanced Sensors 3 12 48 mu Superior Sensors 6 24 60 mu Individual ECM Package 4 16 Â Area-Effect ECM Package 6 24 Â Decoy Drone (Max. Signature 50) 1* Signature/3 Â Decoy Drone Rack 2 As Drone +3 Â 'Weasel' Decoy System 1 Signature/3 Â * Occupies 1 MASS in fighter bay or Salvo Missile Magazine Things to do: Large 'fixed installation' sensor arrays for campaign play and special scenarios. Some system to allow for dedicated EW ships to direct fire of other ships (ie. 'Sensor-Improved targeting where the sensors are on a different ship to the weapons - of course, only applied vs. stealthed ships or in nebulae ATM - might help vs. cloaked ships as well).