Beth Fulton wrote (in reply to FT-HET Laers):
> G'day guys,
> For the non-mechanically minded in the audience, what would be the PSB
Since the shield generators and the FTL drive can have an effect on objects
outside the ship, it is not unreasonable to propose esoteric weapons that can
damage or suppress these systems without affecting the rest of the target. At
a simpler level, if the separation in MU is exceeded by shield rating, why not
have a rule that the higher shield suppresses the lower one?
Since Greg has raided the GDW arsenal, how about looting that old FGU
offering, Space Opera? (At least I think it was by them. Never having owned a
copy I'm going on dim and distant memory.)
Yes folks, to add to our list of wacky weapons I can proudly contribute the
Hyperspace Torpedo. I believe the nearest equivalent would be our
modern-day salvo missile launcher. The launcher itself would need to be
larger and more expensive than the conventional system, though the missiles
would only take up the usual magazine space. It would not be possible to
install the weapon on a rack basis.
Despite the name, the range is not fantastic. An HTL fires a salvo of
torpedoes into hyperspace rather than at the target. Each torpedo is
programmed to emerge from hyperspace as part of a coherant spread intended to
place one or more rounds inside the target's shields and point defences, and
ideally inside the target's hull.
There are quite a few important variables (target size and acceleration) that
we will have to ignore because FT weapons in general do not take cognisance of
them. This will leave us with chance of hitting not dissimilar to that of a
pulse torpedo. Damage will be highly variable, with three possible outcomes:
1) The first or last torpedo scores a near miss, 1D damage 2) Two torpedoes
straddle the target, 2D damage 3) One torpedo penetrates the target, 6D damage
Like meson guns, hyperspace torpedo launchers can be placed deep within the
hull of the firing vessel and are not as vulnerable to damage as most other
weapons. In FB terms they would merit a core systems box rather than an
ordinary threshold test (as should the FTL drive?)
Theoretically both weapons fail to meet the original criteria because they
ignore shields as well as armour. However, no-one seems to object to FT
shields acquiring the properties of meson screens for free and I think that
with a little extension to the FT background we can say that screens make it
more difficult for a torpedo to emerge on target. The firing ship must either
momentarily drop shields to fire or must not carry a working shield.
Now ICE are defunct, can any of you young whippersnappers on the list scavenge
anything from that upstart system SpaceMaster? All I can recall is our club
SpaceMaster GM getting excited about a Mark #999 Zap Cannon or somesuch.
I think Space Opera is GDW, I can check when I get home, later.
Our group is playing Spacemaster: Privateer at the moment. There's not really
anything useful for conversion in that, as vehicle combat doesn't
work, there are no missile/grenade rules, and the universe has been 100%
changed. Sounds like your GM needs the boys in white coats, as he appears to
be starting a powertrip phase.
Neath Southern Skies -http://home.pacific.net.au/~southernskies/
[MKW2] Admiral Peter Rollins - Task Force Zulu-Beta
[Firestorm] Battletech PBeM GM
> -----Original Message-----
> I think Space Opera is GDW, I can check when I get home, later.
Space Opera was Fantasy Games Unlimited if memory serves...
Nope, FGU and still available in one form or another IIRC.
David
> -----Original Message-----
On Tue, 30 Jan 2001 23:54:27 -0000 "Nathan"
> <Nathan_at_Spring_Grove_UK@email.msn.com> writes:
<snip>
> Since Greg has raided the GDW arsenal, how about looting that old FGU
HEX MISSILES!!! Hyperspace EXplosive! An old Starguard standby [Edition 1
- 1974] - (and next to Lasers, the most common weapon!!!) Actually
expalined in the Space combat rules: Star Wars 2250 A. D. also recently
seen on the Reviresco web site (And downloaded by yours truly pre-FT!
Every ship had at least one. Well, it always on those pesky Ralnai scouts
anyway.
Except in Starguard it could knock you out of FTL!! Oh yes, do you drop your
task force out and cover the hit ship (and risk the fight you were probably
avoiding) OR do you leave a 'sinking ship' by itself? (And how many ships will
the other guy drop out of FTL??)
> Despite the name, the range is not fantastic. An HTL fires a salvo of
<snip>
> Nathan
According to the FGU web site, it's theirs...
On Tue, 30 Jan 2001 16:28:32 -0800 Sean Bayan Schoonmaker
> <s_schoon@pacbell.net> writes:
How about one of my favorites: The "Darlington Space Rifle" courtesy of the
Planet Texas. (From that great old novel "For Texas and Zeb", by Zelany I
think) The weapon fired a shell with a hyperspace drive in it. They would aim
it for the center of the enemy ship, and it would appear inside the target,
and distroy it from the inside.
Donald Hosford
> Nathan wrote:
> Since the shield generators and the FTL drive can have an effect on
I just KNEW there was a "Z" in it! By gosh I was right! (BTW...did you notice
that you sent that message twice? Just thought you should
know...)
Thanks for the correction! :-)
On Sat, 03 Feb 2001 10:22:24 -0500 Nyrath the nearly wise
> <nyrath@clark.net> writes:
Pedantic - adjective of pedant - 1) A schoolmaster, esp. in a petty
school. 2) a) one who parades his learning b) one who is unimaginative or who
unduly emphasizes minutiae in the presentation or use of knowledge c) a
formalist or precisionist in teaching.
pendent or pendant - adjective - 1) supported from above, "suspended"
2)
jutting or hanging over, "overhanging" [Triphibious - as in a cliff?
<grin>] 3) remaining undetermined.
pendant also pendant - noun - 1) something suspended: as a) an ornament
allowed to hang free.... etc., etc., etc.....
From: Nyrath the nearly wise <nyrath@clark.net>
> Alas, my Netscape has started to crash at the most inopportune
If you're using Netscape 6, it's no surprise. When we translated it into
Japanese, it was so buggy that we had to take screenshots in IE5...and the
Netscape QA team studiously avoided noticing. But hey, they hit their release
date.
> Nyrath the nearly wise wrote:
> Donald Hosford wrote:
Fowl thing! The last time mine crashed, I had to reinstall the OS, the
hardware drivers, and then my apps...Everything seemed to go down the
drain...that thing even ate my email too. The only reason I didn't format the
drive was my last few years of surfing had generated a huge amount of
files...:-o
> > (What does "pendantic" mean?)
Welcome to the club....:-)