Has anyone play-tested Plasma Shields for Phalon?
Uses existing Plasma launchers but only does 1 point of damage per class if a
ship, fighter, or missile run
into/through it. Has the same range and area of effect
as normal plasma launched through the plasma launchers. However, it will also
blocks shots that trace line of sight (LOS) through it (prevents FCS from
locking onto the Phalon ship). The Plasma Shield acts as if it has a number of
hull boxes equal to its class. It is not subject to PDS fire. But is
vulnerable to fighter and normal weapons fire. Each Plasma Shield must be
targeted separately.
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Brian Bell bkb@beol.net
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> -----Original Message-----
> Bell, Brian K wrote:
> Has anyone play-tested Plasma Shields for Phalon?
1 point is sufficient to destroy any fighter or (especially) missile inside
the burst radius.
> Has the same range and area of effect
And vice versa, I assume?
> The Plasma Shield acts as if it
If it is so "solid" that PDS can't damage it except in anti-ship mode
and interceptor fighters can't damage it at all, why doesn't it inflict more
damage?
Turns the PBLs from decent but risky point defence weapons to good and almost
riskfree point defence weapons. Was that intentional?
Regards,
> -----Original Message-----
[Bri] Correct.
> >Has the same range and area of effect
[Bri] Correct.
> >The Plasma Shield acts as if it
[Bri] It generates enough random EM from the plasma that
FCS cannot "see" through it. Thus, a ship behind it cannot be targeted until
the plasma bubble is "popped".
I did not think about PDS in anti-ship mode (good catch),
but my reasoning is that PDS fire would be insufficient to disrupt the plasma
bubble. Fighters CAN attack it (reread post). Unclear from MY post: The plasma
bubble lasts until end of weapons fire phase unless destroyed. Also unclear
from my post: Since it uses the same Plasma Launcher, the plasma launcher must
recharge just as if it had fired a standard Plasma Ball. The intent was to
place a screen or armor like object between ships. This shield would absorb
some damage, but not make the ship invulnerable. It would also tie up the
ship's heavy weapons. I had thought to making them 1 point to destroy, but
this would lead to arguments over which weapon fires first as the firing
player would fire the smaller damage potential weapons first. With the ability
of a larger plasma shield, it may encourage players to fire larger weapons to
clear it so that the more numerous secondary weapons could target.
> Regards,
----End Original Message---
My replies marked by [Bri]
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> Bell, Brian K wrote:
> The Plasma Shield acts as if it
You are of course aware that I was talking about *interceptor* fighters
(if not, re-read quote above), thus you deliberately include
interceptor fighters as well as other types in your above statement.
Now, interceptors are completely unable to damage starships, which
implies that you intend them to use either their anti-fighter or their
anti-missile rolls.
Unfortunately this leads to an inconsistency: PDS fire which is (barely)
powerful enough to damage ships is unable to harm the plasma
shield, but interceptor fire - which is even weaker - is either fairly
good, or else *extremely* good, at destroying the plasma shields.
> I had thought to making them 1 point to destroy, but this
Won't cause any arguments unless you also change the rules for weapon
allocation.
According to the published rules (FT2 p.4) you allocate all direct-fire
attacks from a single ship before resolving any of them. No conditional fire
orders are allowed, so if there's a plasma shield in the way when the ship
declares fire it can't fire at anything behind that shield.
Regards,
> -----Original Message-----
[snip]
> [Bri] Fighters CAN attack it (reread post).
You are of course aware that I was talking about *interceptor* fighters
(if not, re-read quote above), thus you deliberately include
interceptor fighters as well as other types in your above statement.
Now, interceptors are completely unable to damage starships, which
implies that you intend them to use either their anti-fighter or their
anti-missile rolls.
[snip]
[Bri] Again, good catch. It would be true, Interceptors would not be
able to effect the Plasma Shield. PDS in anti-ship mode would,
however, be able to attack it.
[snip]
According to the published rules (FT2 p.4) you allocate all direct-fire
attacks from a single ship before resolving any of them. No conditional fire
orders are allowed, so if there's a plasma shield in the way when the ship
declares fire it can't fire at anything behind that shield.
[Bri] Correct. One or more ships/fighters would need to kill the
plasma before other ships could fire through where the plasma was located.
Regards,