Sandcasters & Hull Repairs

Now that I've thought about it, 1 RB isn't a sufficient approach to things for
a sandcaster or for a masking screen.

What should a sand penalize or affect? My answer is: 1. Std Beams 2. Pulse
torps (energy packets) 3. Sensors (Sand acts almost like ECM) or maybe FC 4.
Needle Beams 5. Cloaking devices (plowing through sand or ending up in it
would not be good)

What should probably be unaffected: MT missiles (they are big and have good
guidance) Wave Guns Reflex Fields Mines

What might be affected: SMs (they are small and have poor guidance)

So, how best to represent the effects? PTs roll dice, so do needle
beams and standard beams. So maybe a -1 on the die roll would be
adequate. I'd apply the same -1 to the SM rolls.

And the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced this is not an area of
effect weapon. It can act as a screen for a ship, or to block incoming fire by
firing alont a predicted firepath from a hostile enemy (using casters). How do
you sand 1000km in 3 dimensions? You don't. Area weapons are neat, but space
is just too damn big.

===================== So a rehash, liberally stealing ideas from list
contributors===================

Disposable PDS: Same effect as a conventional PDS. No idea what the symbol
should be. As the name indicates, when a shot of PDS is fired, it is used up.
(Perhaps DPDS for Disposable PDS). Mass: 1.0 Cost: 2 Shots: 2

<Since fractional accounting is generally frowned upon....>

Sandcaster: A sandcaster is a defensive weapon used to accelerate cannisters
of particulate matter (sand) out into space where the cannister explodes and
the sand expands to inhibit incoming fire. The sand either deflects a particle
stream or disperses it, and does the same types of things with lasers or other
energy beams or energy torpedos. It also acts to interfere with the targetting
of SMs. Symbol: a small circle or hexagon (so you can show arcs around it)
with an upward facing triangular sand spray...). Effect: Treat it as a screen
that lasts from the time it is fired until the end of the turn. Like PDS,
Sandcasters do not require an FC but they are consequently limited to a 6"
range. Use: When it comes time for the ship to activate, it may specify itself
or any other ship as being defended by its sandcasters (in arc of course!).
The Sandcaster is fired at the target ship and the target ship gains a screen
level (max effective screen level of 2) for the rest of the turn. Note, this
system interferes with actual screens, so the effect is
non-cumulative.
A single shot may only defend a ship of 50 or less mass. To put a 1 level
screen cover on a 250 mass SDN would take 5 sandcaster shots (massing a total
of 5 and costing a total of 10 not counting the launcher).

Mass:
3-arc   2 + 1 per shot
6-arc 3 + 1 per shot
Cost:
3-arc 4 + 2 per shot
6-arc 6 + 2 per shot

Masking Screen:
A masking screen is a defence employable by non-manouvring ships. A
masking screen puts out a screen of particles (in the source system, it was
water vapour, but it could be sand). It is a one shot weapon. It puts out a
cloud around the launching ship which interferes with
incoming weapons. It can only be used by non-manoevring ships by
virtue of its method of employment. It is triggered after orders are written,
but before movement is executed(after missile launch). The Masking screen
cloud (use cotton batten if
you want - works for smokescreens in infantry games!) is placed around
the target ship. (Or a counter could be placed, if that is preferable). The
only manoevre the ship can execute in order for it to gain the defensive
benefits of the masking screen is a roll. The symbol should be a square box
filled with fuzz (speckles) and either a track of smaller boxes below or one
of these larger boxes for each masking screen. Effect: Treat it as a screen
that lasts from the time it is fired until the end of the turn. Up to two
charges may be expended at once
to provide level-2 screens.

Mass: 1 per 50 mass of ship to be defended (round up). Cost: 2 per mass.
Shots: As many as are bought, up to two can be used at a time. Note, this
system interferes with actual screens, so the effect is
non-cumulative.
To put 1 level screening around a 250 Mass SDN would take a 5 mass, 10 point
screen. And of course, that expires at the end of the round, or is ineffective
if the SDN manoevres.

This ought to make Sandcasters and Masking Screens not too gross (ie you
wouldn't install them on your DNs) but give freighters a brief respite. And
the limited PDS should help too.

And as for regnerating hull - I wasn't thinking of ST like shields.
Just simple hull patching with DamCon parties. No need for oddball rules
(grin), just say "you can fix a hull box like any other.... if you want to,
never more than 50% repair of damage". I don't want the hull to grow back,
just be fixable by Stokers with Laser Torches.

> What should a sand penalize or affect? My answer is:

I would put these in the maybe category (possibly "no"), as I question how
sand would affect them.

> 3. Sensors (Sand acts almost like ECM) or maybe FC

They're designed to punch through hulls; I think they should also be able to
handle sand.

> 5. Cloaking devices (plowing through sand or ending up in it would not

OK

> What might be affected:

Maybe a lesser affect (?)

> And the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced this is not an

Entirely agreed.

> Disposable PDS:

<:-)

> Sandcaster:

I'd limit this to 1. I don't thin k that sand density can compare with proper
screens.

> Note, this system interferes with actual screens, so the effect is

I see what you're doing here, but it's far easier to do the% thing. Effect
like screens; price like screens! It keeps things balanced.

> Mass:

Again, I prefer the 360 version, scrapping the 180 type entirely as it
simplifies things.