Weapon Question

I was working up some conversions for Full Thrust based on Star Trek
(actually, Starfleet Battles) and have come to the Hydrons. I have worked up
two versions of the Hellbore (I think the spelling is close) and wanted a
second opinion on which one (if either) I should go with.

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Version I

Mass 3 +1/arc, Cost 10 +5/arc, may only be mounted with no more than two
arcs.

Damage and range is as per A-Batt.  However, all hits by the HB do
damage as if the target had 1 less level of shield (this is total, not per HB
and only HB damage is modified in this way).

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Version II

Mass 3 +1/arc, Cost 10 +5/arc, may only be mounted with no more than two
arcs.

Damage and range is as per A-Batt.  However, for each point of damage
that a ships sustains from a HB(s) each shield must survive a special
HB-Threshold check.  This check is on a 6+ and is not modified (as other
threshold checks are) by previous checks nor does it modify any future
threshold checks.

I have some balance problems with this one, but they can be worked out. It is
the concept of how each works that I'm most concerned with.

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For those of you who don't know. The Hellbore was a Hydron weapon that had a
special interaction with shields. In Starfleet Battles ships have 6 shields
(one per hex side) with damage boxes on each. As a shield is damaged boxes are
checked off until the ship takes internals. A lot of the game tactics deal
with keeping a strong shield to an opponent while trying to get close to his
weak shields.

The Hellbore is a Heavy weapon with the special effect of half of its damage
is spread among five of the targets (stronghest) shields while the weakest
(sixth) takes the other half. So, the Hydrons are able to clobber you
regardless of what facing you give to them. This causes massive problems as
the Hydrons are VERY heavy into fighters and the fighters have a good chance
of moving into that now (even more) weakened shields arc.

I thnk the first version of the weapon above does a better job of showing the
Hellbores "I look for a weak point in your shielding" concept. But, I think
the second version does a better job of giving the weapons feel for
'supporting' the fighter attacks.

Just thought I would ask. Got plenty of time to work this out as the next
battle is a Klingon/Fed battle anyhow.  The Hydrons are for a friend who
has collected the fleet and wants to give Full Thrust a try.

Chad

> Version I
While I have never played Starfleet Battles, and the mechanics don't match,
you may wish to use the following:

Hellbore:
Mass 3 +1 per arc (max 2 arcs)
Cost 10 +5 per arc
Range: As A beam Special Effect: on a roll of 6 results in a damaged screen
generator.

> chad wrote:
Got plenty of time to work this out as the next
> battle is a Klingon/Fed battle anyhow. The Hydrons are for a friend

Chad, My initial feelings are that this is very close to a
pulse torpedo in its ability to do damage.   The two arc
mounting makes it VERY useful, at a VERY reasonable point cost. In version I
the weapon is perhaps a less ambitious in concept, but more likely to be
acceptable to a wider range of players. In version II it will clean off the
shields on any
ship in three turns (most of the time).   The weapon is under priced
and over powered, and I suspect that it will destroy play balence.

Suggestion:   Allow the use of the pulse torpedo in a two arc
mounting to start.

Question: If one race is getting its special racial weapon
from SFB what about the other guys?   Will the gatling 'C'
battery be the next thing to show up?(roll 3d6 and take the best one, or 3d6
vs fighters and missiles?)

I would give both versions a try, pick the best.

Good luck,