Updated Electronic Warfare Rules

Hello, These are the updated versions of my EW rules based on several other
people's inputs. Below are some thoughts on how to expand the Electronic
Warfare rules from More Thrust. The means to detect another ship come in four
flavors. Passive detection of his engines, Passive detection of his active
sensors, Active sensors, Visually. Visual sensors are established on all
ships. Any ship, fighter, etc is automatically IDed, tracked and assessed when
it comes within 6 inches of an interested party. Large Facilitates like a Base
can double or triple this ability. Passive sensors can make an attempt to ID a
ship based on its engine signature. The effects of an engine burn are full if
the ship is accelerating away from the observer ( stern aspect), half if
orthogonal
to the observer (beam aspect) and 1/4 if accelerating towards the
observer (Bow Aspect). Passive Sensors can get at least a bearing on active
sensors, possible an ID, and even an estimated range. Active sensors can
possibly ID a ship at a long range. Basic, Enhanced and Superior sensor
systems are considered to have both active and passive capabilities. The extra
mass not only signifies more power and better active processing, but also
better passive processing and larger analysis libraries. Therefore, all bonus
additives are used in either active or passive mode.

Navigation Sensor operated by civilian ships modify the 1D6 roll by
-2
Standard Basic Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by 0.
    Fighter Enhanced sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +1.  This is a
dedicated platform like an E-2C, etc.
They cost 5 each
    Enhanced Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +2.
    Superior Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +4.

Modifiers:
    -1 per 12 Measuring Unit (MU) between target and observer.
    -1 per 5% of mass devoted to stealth by the observer.
    -2 per ECM unit effectively jamming the observer.  Note:  Observer
automatically gets a line of Bearing towards the jamming unit. Mass of the
target:
         0 to 10: -1
11 to 25: 0
        26 to 50: +1
        51 to 100: +2
        +1 per 50 mass after 100.
    +1 per thrust factor of target unit.  Note: only applies to passive
detection of engines on ship and subject to modifications noted above.
    + 6 to passive detection of active sensor or ECM in use on target.

Roll Passive Sensor Active Sensor 3 Loose LOB Bogey 4 LOB Track
6            System ID/Mass            Mass
8 Bogey ID

Loose LOB:  Line of Bearing (LOB) based on engine exhaust/Sensor signal
accurate within nearest clock direction (30 degrees). LOB: Accurate LOB
towards contact.
System ID:    If using passive systems against Enemy active system, then
a general statement of the system in question ("Enhanced Active Sensor used by
NAC.") Mass: Apparent mass of the target in question. This includes mass
spoofed using Weasel systems. Round up to the nearest 20 Mass. Passive systems
may only estimate mass based on engine exhaust of target. Bogey: A general
position of a target ("Captain, there is something out there...") Not
sufficient to fire upon. Accurate within 1D6 * 2 MUs of accuracy in any
direction. Bogeys on passive systems will have range error only, bearing will
be accurate. Track: A Fire Control quality track of a contact. ID: Actual Mass
of the contact, Fire Control Quality track, and general statement of the
target's design (military, cruiser, etc.) If you know this enemy, then the
class type.

Data Links. Tight communications is possible between ships within 72 MUs.
Beyond 72 MUs they must use less accurate systems and that provides the enemy
with the knowledge that the link is operating and a Loose LOB to the sources.
Units within the data link have all the data the other ships have. If
necessary, one ship can fire off another's track, but the range to the target
is resolved normally.

Phil suggested:

Navigation Sensor operated by civilian ships modify the 1D6 roll
by -2
Standard Basic Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by 0.
        Fighter Enhanced sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +1.  This is a
dedicated platform like an E-2C, etc.
They cost 5 each
        Enhanced Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +2.
        Superior Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +4.

Modifiers:
        -1 per 12 Measuring Unit (MU) between target and observer.
        -1 per 5% of mass devoted to stealth by the observer.
        -2 per ECM unit effectively jamming the observer.  Note:
Observer automatically gets a line of Bearing towards the jamming unit. Mass
of the target:
             0 to 10: -1
11 to 25: 0
            26 to 50: +1
            51 to 100: +2
            +1 per 50 mass after 100.
        +1 per thrust factor of target unit.  Note: only applies to
passive detection of engines on ship and subject to modifications noted above.
        + 6 to passive detection of active sensor or ECM in use on
target.

Roll Passive Sensor Active Sensor 3 Loose LOB Bogey 4 LOB Track
    6            System ID/Mass            Mass
8 Bogey ID

> Detection range for passive systems is too short. It is entirely

> Phillip Pournelle wrote:
XXX It is wildly unlikely that a real civilian ship will have passive sensors.
As far as a military ship sneaking up on
the civilian, thats why they have the billion dollar sensor/
ECM systems.   JTL
XXX...Snip...more snippage, with most of the content, I agree.

Bye for now,

Phil suggested:

Navigation Sensor operated by civilian ships modify the 1D6
roll by -2
Standard Basic Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by 0.
            Fighter Enhanced sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +1.  This is
a dedicated platform like an E-2C, etc.
They cost 5 each
            Enhanced Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +2.
            Superior Military sensors modify the 1D6 roll by +4.

Modifiers:
            -1 per 12 Measuring Unit (MU) between target and observer.
            -1 per 5% of mass devoted to stealth by the observer.
            -2 per ECM unit effectively jamming the observer.  Note:
Observer automatically gets a line of Bearing towards the jamming unit. Mass
of the target:
                 0 to 10: -1
11 to 25: 0
                26 to 50: +1
                51 to 100: +2
                +1 per 50 mass after 100.
            +1 per thrust factor of target unit.  Note: only applies to
passive detection of engines on ship and subject to modifications noted above.
            + 6 to passive detection of active sensor or ECM in use on
target.

Roll Passive Sensor Active Sensor 3 Loose LOB Bogey 4 LOB Track
        6            System ID/Mass            Mass
8 Bogey ID

> Detection range for passive systems is too short. It is
starting at 36"" or thereabouts.

Two factors that you should consider, First the rules state that: Visual
sensors are established on all ships. Any ship, fighter, etc is automatically
IDed, tracked and assessed when it comes within 6 inches of an interested
party. Large Facilitates like a Base can double or triple this ability.
Secondly, Perhaps they should turn on their active system in that case. That
is always the danger of stringent emissions control, not seeing the threat.
There have been plenty of asteroids that came close to hitting earth that our
passive systems did not detect. Given an earth planet is represented by a
radius six dinner dish then 1 mu = 600 miles. This is a reasonable sceme. One
issue that I forgot to mention, all hulls, military and
civillian, start with a free civillian navigation sensor (-2).  This way
military vessels can have something on without giving away their identity.

[quoted original message omitted]

In a message dated 7/10/99 5:15:07 PM Central Daylight Time,
> emisle@earthlink.net writes:

<< with a Buzzard RamJet! A Flare in the darkness... >>

That's "Bussard" ramjet. Named for it's "inventor" conceiver rather, since
it's never been built he can hardly have invented it any more than Da Vinci
really invented the tank.