Re: Beam Weapons

Date sent:  29-NOV-1996 09:00:13 

>>The basic beam weapons within the game seem to force the selection of
>>the A battery over the B and C due to the range and die advantages.
Has
>>any tried using different die for the different batteries.

>No, instead we give the A batteries a mass of 4.  Mass affects design
>decisions more than cost. This simple fix forces players to mount the
>lighter ("commercial") B and C batteries without changing the combat
die
>rolls.

>Joe

My favourite solution is to produce a set of 'stock' ships that everyone
can agree upon, that fit the background. That way you can have balanced
designs that reflect the background and eliminates the need for any
'fix' for batteries.

It works on the principle that a ship is more than just the sum of it's
parts (a common failing with many points systems). Something you can't
really include in a comprehensive design system.

Note: Since removing Cloaks as a mass factor in my ST background, I've
found that I no longer need to differentiate between disruptors and
phasors, as the klingon and romulan ships can now pack enough firepower
to make it worthwhile. And as only specific ships can carry cloaks
(and the cloak is a very vulnerable system, usually the first thing to
go)
it isn't too unbalancing.

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