SMLs, fire control & arcs

8 posts ยท Feb 6 2001 to Feb 8 2001

From: Nathan <Nathan_at_Spring_Grove_UK@e...>

Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 22:24:24 -0000

Subject: SMLs, fire control & arcs

First of all my apologies if this has come up at all recently (and I have a
suspicion that it has). I've checked my folder of adjudications, skimmed
every on-line FAQ I could find and cleared my
list backlog looking wisdom, without success. I even tried reading the
rulebooks...

The question is: How many FireCons are needed to launch SLMs and SRMs? None?
One per turn? One per target? One per salvo? FireCons aren't really discussed
after FT2 and MT missiles get by with none at all, unless you play the house
rule that the vessel must have at least one working fire control in order to
launch any.

The reason for this question is that I'm finally sending my Foche into action
under the FB1 rules. (Hello 1998!) Being too lazy to paint my fighters I'm
looking at refitting her with six SML systems and a larger magazine or two.
This brings me to my second question...

Presumably SM arcs can be other than those
shown in FB1. (FP/P/AP for example.) Could
these weapons potentially cover the aft arc?

I expect the answer to this to be a resounding "No!", but if they do not
require fire control then the possibility did come to mind.

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 17:48:14 -0500

Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> The question is: How many FireCons are needed

One working FCS will suffice for any number of MT missiles and/or SML;
the
same FCS may be used for direct-fire (eg beam) weapons as well.

> Presumably SM arcs can be other than those

Yes

> Could

Yes, depending on your house rules. I'd allow missile fire into A arc; the
rules-as-written don't permit it unless you use the optional
you-can-shoot-into-the-aft-arc-if-you-don't-thrust rule.

From: Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@t...>

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 07:04:53 +0100

Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> Nathan wrote:

> First of all my apologies if this has come up at all

Odd that you couldn't find it. I quote the FT FAQ at
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3565/faq-index.html:

In the More Thrust section:

"Do missiles require a Firecon? Yes, one firecon must be allocated during the
missile launch phase. The firecon can be used again for direct fire weapons in
the same turn, this is to prevent the need to track which firecons have been
used."

In the FB1 section:

"Do SML's require a Firecon?
The /official/ ruling is that the ship needs to have an operating
firecon available during the SML launch phase of the turn (just one
irrespective of how many salvoes are fired), but that firecon can then also be
used during the main fire phase of the same turn to fire other weapons. This
is simply a rule mechanism to avoid having to remember or record which
firecons have been used up from phase to phase. A ship that has lost all
Firecon capability cannot fire SLMs (or any other weapons)."

It has also been discussed on-list several times, latest was early
January. (Not sure if the January archives are up yet though.)

> FireCons aren't really discussed after FT2 and MT missiles get

Both the FAQ entries quoted above come from St^3 Jon himself (even
though he only emphasized "/official/" in the SM entry), so they are
somewhat more official than plain house rule status :-/

> Presumably SM arcs can be other than those shown in FB1. >(FP/P/AP for

If you use the (P) and (S) houserule arcs from Chan Faunce's home page, yes.
Otherwise the (P) and (S) arcs don't exist.

> Could these weapons potentially cover the aft arc?

Sure. You can't launch through the (A) arc unless you use the "Optional
Rule: Aft-Arc Fire" on FB1 p.4, but there's no reason why the launcher
couldn't point that way.

Note that your "FP/P/AP" arc stretching from straight ahead to straight
aft would get its "AP" arc truncated since it overlaps the normal (A) arc.

Regards,

From: Nathan <Nathan_at_Spring_Grove_UK@e...>

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 21:18:11 -0000

Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> Nathan wrote:

> First of all my apologies if this has come up at all

> The question is: How many FireCons are needed

From: Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@telia.com>
To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
Date: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 06:12
Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> Odd that you couldn't find it. I quote the FT FAQ at

> In the FB1 section:

That's the very one. I'd read as far as the entries on damage and concluded
that it wasn't there. Note to self: must use text search in future! I've taken
a copy of v1.8.2 so I can search it at leisure the next time I have a rules
panic. Ta.

> Presumably SM arcs can be other than those shown in FB1.

That was a FASA flashback from their Star Trek simulator
boardgame. I should have posted FP/AP/A.

> Could these weapons potentially cover the aft arc?

> Sure. You can't launch through the (A) arc unless you use the

Thanks again. I'd read FB1 looking solely for the SLM rule, then tacked the
question on the back of the posting. The FB1 optional rule makes the position
clear.

Anyway, I'm off on an FB2 Kra'vak hunt tomorrow night.
Anyone want to hear an AAR on the Foche-M?

From: Brian Bell <bkb@b...>

Date: 7 Feb 2001 22:01:37 -0000

Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> At 2001.02.07 +0000 21:18, Nathan wrote:

Yea, verily, yea!

---

From: Richard and Emily Bell <rlbell@s...>

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2001 18:20:47 -0500

Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> Chris DeBoe wrote:

> > The question is: How many FireCons are needed

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 18:38:26 -0800

Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> > One working FCS will suffice for any number of MT missiles and/or

If the FSE were enlighted, instead of ignorant pagans, they'd have embraced
Submission to the Will of Allah and be following the Path of Righteousness.
Since their understanding is darkened and their spirits labor in confusion,
you would naturally expect them to design ships which are less efficient than
the ideal.

(i.e., I don't know)

> If it is not actually written anywhere, I would use the

Since SML/SMR are placed in the Fighter/Missile phase, and direct fire
done in the Fire phase, Jon didn't want anyone to have to track which

From: Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@t...>

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 07:07:52 +0100

Subject: Re: SMLs, fire control & arcs

> Richard and Emily Bell wrote:

> Chris DeBoe wrote:

It is. Read the FAQ.

> why does the Foch class SDN have five FCS's. It has almost as

You just answered your own question.

Regards,