Re: aliens conversion

> 
> Excellent post on the Aliens conversions for FT/DS2/SG2!  I was
wondering
> when someone would get around to converting the data from the
EXCELLENT
> sourcebook. 

Thanks =)

> 
> I do have some comments about your Sulaco stats.
> >
> I agree on the basic size and thrust rating.	The railguns, however,
should
> be shown as 2 turreted mounts (remember, this isn't the official FT
> universe) bearing port and starboard each.  This would leave you some
room
> to show the Particle beams (B bttys x2 Fwd) and Laser turrets (PDAF x2
> capable of intercepting railgun rounds - on a roll of 4-5 reduce dmg
by 1,
> on a roll of 6 reduce dmg by 2).  I would recommend showing all of the
8
> missiles and agree with your suggestion of minelaying capability.  The
> Sulaco is further equipped with decoys that mimic its sensor
signature.

Yeah, did you get this all to fit in a 40 mass hull?  If so, I'd love to

see the stats.

> 
> As far as the Sensors/ECM are concerned, we may need to get creative. 
The
> tech manual gives one the strong impression that space combat in this
> universe is much closer to modern submarine combat than WW2 surface
naval
> combat as in "normal" FT.  As such, the electronic or sensor battle
assumes
> much greater importance.  This could be reflected by rating the
sensors as a
> beam battery in their own right with fire results (damage) applying to
a
> firing solution for the other, real weapons (ie. missiles or
railguns).
> What do you think?  

Funny you should mention this...I've been mulling over exactly the same 
thing in my mind.  I seem to remember a blurb on the back of the box of 
Traveller's Brilliant Lances talk about the same thing, and I've always 
loved the concept.

Here's the idea I've been toying with (un-play-tested of course).  Full 
Thrust already /sort of/ follows this line of thinking if you consider 
the fire action as active sensor "blips".  After all, you never actually

see the ships move, and you can't fire in the middle of a move even if 
two ships pass right next to each other.  You only get to fire after the

moves, when you send out an active blip to light up where the enemy
fleet 
is and hope it's where you thought it was going to be.	The only strange

thing is 
everyone lights up their active sensors at exactly the same time as the 
current Full Thrust rules are written (thus the simultaneous fire
phase).

So what if you activated ships one at a time, back and forth, the way
you 
activate Dirstide II units, and you give each ship a move action and a 
"sensor" or "fire" action.  Let the fire action occur before or after 
movement, just like in Dirtside II.  Also, let ships that haven't used 
their sensor action remain on "overwatch".  Since sending out an active 
sensor "blip" would light up your own ship as well as the opposition,
this is how I 
think it would work:

Let's say we've got 2 ships fighting eachother, ship "A" and "B".  Say 
ship "A" goes first.  Ship "A"'s Captain writes down his movement
orders, 
and decides to "run silent" and not use his active sensors.  So he 
doesn't actually move his ship's model.  Then ship "B" activates.  Ship 
"B" decides to use it's sensor action first.  It lights up the current 
position of ship "A".  Ship "A"'s captain now moves the model of ship
"A" 
according to the orders he's given it.	He places the model.

Ship "B"'s Captain launches a missile and the now known position of ship

"A".  He moves it 18" straight toward the now known position of ship 
"A".  Since Ship "B" used its active sensors, Ship "A" also knows Ship
"B"
s current position.  And since Ship "A" didn't use its sensors yet, it 
can fire "overwatch" at ship "B" if ship "B" is within range.  But ship 
"B" isn't in range, so the overwatch is wasted.

Now Ship "B"'s Captain plots his movement, but doesn't actually move his

model.

Now the turn reverts back to ship "A".	Ship "A" decides to move first, 
and then use his sensors.  So Ship "A"'s captain plots his movement, 
then, when using his sensors, places his model (he lights himself up as 
well as his opponent with active sensors) and tries to fire at ship "B".

Now Ship "B"'s Captain must place his model according to his plotted
move 
from the previous turn.  If it is within range of ship "A", ship "A" may

fire at it.  Ship "B" may /not/ return fire because ship "B" already
used 
its sensor action last turn (homing in the missile before moving).

Now the turn reverts back to "B".  Captain B knows where Ship A is
thanks 
to Ship A's use of active sensors last turn.  So he homes the missile in

another 18" without having to use a sensor action.  Then Captain B plots

the movement for ship B but doesn't use his sensors, leaving his ship's 
guns on "overwatch".  So he doesn't actually move the model.

The turn reverts back to captain A, etc.

This is obviously a /lot/ more complicated then the full thrust rules as

they stand.  And it's probably too complicated for more then one or two 
ships per player.  But for such small-scale engagements it might prover 
pretty interesting, especially for smaller ships.  Mike Elliot mentioned

the problem of Player Characters in Traveller trying to "run the 
gauntlet" past big naval vessels in their little scout ships, and this 
sort of system might make clever smugglers live a little longer.

If you really want to get crazy you could make ships have to roll to 
penetrate enemy ECM when their sensor turn comes up with modifiers 
according to enhanced or superior sensors or whatever.

> 
> Adam Delafield has done some Aliens conversions for SFSFW and so may
have
> some excellent ideas on this subject...
> 
> Other suggestions?  I like the setting and the different technological
> challenge of near-term "hard science" sci-fi.  Let's see how we can
> represent it in FT.  More from me later.
> 
> Rob
>  
> 
>