From: Libald@a...
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 1996 01:15:37 -0500
Subject: My long promised beam rules (long)
Here are the beam rules I mentioned a few days ago. The rules are long, but most of it is examples. If you find something unbalanced about them, let me know... I tinker. ------------ Beams: Beams are highly energized particle streams, powered by capacitors. To attack, roll a d6. Subtract the target's number of screens and the range penalty (see the specific beam for this value). The final number (d6- shields - range) is the damage inflicted. (Damage of less than zero is zero.) Each attack draws power from capacitors equal to the beam's level. A free (no mass, no points) capacitor with a value of double the largest beam level comes with the ship. Beams: Beam 1 (Mass 0.5+0.5/arc, Points: 2+2/arc, Range: -1/4") - ex. 3 arc Beam 1 = Mass 2, Points 8 Beam 2: (Mass 1+1/arc, Points: 4+4/arc, Range: -1/8") ex. 2 arc Beam 2 = Mass 3, Points 12 Beam 3: (Mass 1.5+1.5/arc, Points: 6+6/arc, Range -1/12") ex. 1 arc Beam 3 = Mass 3, Points 12 Capacitors: Each beam equipped ship receives a free capacitor with a level equal to DOUBLE the highest beam's level; only one free capacitor is allowed per ship. (Ex. A ship carrying a Beam 2 receives a free Capacitor 4.) Further capacitors cost both mass and points. Unlike a wave gun, much of the capacitor mass is devoted to safety and protection- a capacitor hit does not inflict damage to the ship as a wave hit does. Capacitors hit in combat are not repairable without lengthy procedures; damage control can NOT fix capacitors. Capacitors are charged from the ship's energy. The base amount of energy generated by a ship depends on its size. An escort generates a d2 energy, cruisers a d3, and capital ships a d6. (Superships are customized to generate a d6 per capacitor.) Each mass of purchased capacitors (don't include the free capacitor) increases the energy generated by 1 point (to reflect the power amplification systems, etc.) Roll for energy at the same time you roll to charge Wave Guns. (I added an energy phase preceding the order writing phase). Capacitors can NOT be overcharged; if the energy roll generates more power than required to fill all capacitors, fill the capacitors but do not add the excess energy- it is wasted. Unless the scenario states otherwise, all capacitors begin at maximum energy. A Capacitor 2 has a mass of 0.5 and a cost of 2; a Capacitor 4 has a mass of 1 and a cost of 4; a Capacitor 6 has a mass of 1.5 and a cost of 6. (The capacitor rating is the maximum energy it may store at any instant.) OPTIONAL: Wave Guns may draw power from a capacitor INSTEAD of attempting to charge themselves. Simply transfer the power from a capacitor to the wave gun- to do so, you may not roll to charge the Wave Gun. Transfer the power during the energy phase (or at charging time). Beam & Capacitor Example: (Ship Design) Galahad, Mass: 30, Points: 221 Item Mass Points Hull (Military: 30) - 60 FTL - 30 Engine (Thrust: 4) - 60 Beam 3 (f) 3 12 Beam 2 (f/p) 3 12 Beam 2 (f/s) 3 12 Screens 1 3 25 2 PDAF 2 6 Capacitor 6 - - Capacitor 4 1 4 OK, now that we've got a sample ship, let's take it out for a spin! Turn 2: After some closing, it looks like the Galahad will be in range this turn. -Energy/Charge Phase: All the capacitors are full, don't bother rolling - Movement: The superior piloting of Captain Job leads the Galahad to a range of 27" from a hapless escort. (The escort has no screens!) - Fire: The target is in the front arc, so the Galahad unloads with all 3 beams. This drains 7 energy... 4 from the Cap 4 (0 remain), and 3 from the Cap 6 (3 remain). First a die is rolled for the Beam-3: The die comes up 4, which inflicts 4 -0 (screens) - 2 (Range >24" = 2x12) = 2 damage inflicted. The Beam 2s are rolled, resulting in a 3 and a 6. The 3 inflicts 3 -0(screen) -3(Range >24" = 8*3) =0 damage, while the 6 inflicts 3 damage (6-0-3). In total, 5 damage was inflicted to the hapless escort. Turn 3: - Energy/Charge: A cruiser charges a d3 (i.e.. d6/2). The Galahad adds one to the energy, for its extra 1 mass of capacitors. The die is a 4 divided by 2= 2. The Galahad charges 2+1 (from 1 mass of extra cap.)= 3. Captain Job decides that two will be added to the Cap 4 (now @ 2) and the remaining one to the Cap 6 (total 4). - Movement: A capital ship closes to 11"- a worse threat. The Galahad focuses on it (for some strange reason). Unfortunately, it has shields 3! - Fire: The Galahad only has energy enough for 2 beams, so it fires the Beam 3 (from Cap 6 energy, now at 1) and a Beam 2 (drain the Cap 4 down to 0 again). The Beam 3 roll is a 5, which inflicts (5 -3 -0), 2 damage. The Beam 2 roll is a 3, which inflicts no damage (3 -3 -1) <0, 0 damage. Notes: The mean damage of a beam is much higher than a battery (it's on the order of Railgun damage) of the same 1-arc weight. The additional disadvantages of heavy arcs and charging seems to balance this quite a bit. For B5, I'd probably allow Beams to ignore interceptors/ PDAFs, but allow only Beam-1s to be Multi-arc (for humans). Minbari would probably get longer ranges (6" Beam-1, 12" Beam 2, 18" Beam 3), and possible Needle abilities. Shadows... shudder, would have a +1 or 2 to their rolls with Minbari ranges, and would rarely fire before the range was 36"- near guaranteeing a hit (probably including damage) at normal ranges. (Vorlons, from the ramming type attack, I'd probably give lots of Beam-1s... high, close damage).