My long promised beam rules (long)

   Here are the beam rules I mentioned a few days ago.	The rules are
long,
but most of it is examples.  If you find something unbalanced about
them, let
me know... I tinker.
------------

Beams: Beams are highly energized particle streams, powered by
capacitors.
 To attack, roll a d6.	Subtract the target's number of screens and the
range
penalty (see the specific beam for this value).  The final number (d6-
shields - range) is the damage inflicted.  (Damage of less than zero is
zero.)
 Each attack draws power from capacitors equal to the beam's level.  A
free
(no mass, no points) capacitor with a value of double the largest beam
level
comes with the ship.

Beams: Beam 1 (Mass 0.5+0.5/arc, Points: 2+2/arc, Range: -1/4")  - ex. 3
arc
Beam 1 = Mass 2, Points 8
Beam 2: (Mass 1+1/arc, Points: 4+4/arc, Range: -1/8") ex. 2 arc Beam 2 =
 Mass 3, Points 12
Beam 3: (Mass 1.5+1.5/arc, Points: 6+6/arc, Range -1/12") ex. 1 arc Beam
3 =
 Mass 3, Points 12 

Capacitors:  Each beam equipped ship receives a free capacitor with a
level
equal to DOUBLE the highest beam's level; only one free capacitor is
allowed
per ship.  (Ex. A ship carrying a Beam 2 receives a free Capacitor 4.)
 Further capacitors cost both mass and points.	Unlike a wave gun, much
of
the capacitor mass is devoted to safety and protection- a capacitor hit
does
not inflict damage to the ship as a wave hit does.  Capacitors hit in
combat
are not repairable without lengthy procedures; damage control can NOT
fix
capacitors.
 Capacitors are charged from the ship's energy.  The base amount of
energy
generated by a ship depends on its size.  An escort generates a d2
energy,
cruisers a d3, and capital ships a d6.	(Superships are customized to
generate a d6 per capacitor.)  Each mass of purchased capacitors (don't
include the free capacitor) increases the energy generated by 1 point
(to
reflect the power amplification systems, etc.)	Roll for energy at the
same
time you roll to charge Wave Guns.  (I added an energy phase preceding
the
order writing phase).  Capacitors can NOT be overcharged; if the energy
roll
generates more power than required to fill all capacitors, fill the
capacitors but do not add the excess energy- it is wasted.  Unless the
scenario states otherwise, all capacitors begin at maximum energy. 
 A Capacitor 2 has a mass of 0.5 and a cost of 2; a Capacitor 4 has a
mass of
1 and a cost of 4; a Capacitor 6 has a mass of 1.5 and a cost of 6. 
(The
capacitor rating is the maximum energy it may store at any instant.)
 OPTIONAL: Wave Guns may draw power from a capacitor INSTEAD of
attempting to
charge themselves.  Simply transfer the power from a capacitor to the
wave
gun- to do so, you may not roll to charge the Wave Gun.  Transfer the
power
during the energy phase (or at charging time).

Beam & Capacitor Example:

(Ship Design)
Galahad, Mass: 30, Points: 221
Item	Mass Points
Hull (Military: 30)  - 60
FTL    - 30
Engine (Thrust: 4)  - 60
Beam 3	(f)   3 12
Beam 2 (f/p)   3 12
Beam 2 (f/s)   3 12
Screens 1   3 25
2 PDAF	 2 6
Capacitor 6   - -
Capacitor 4   1 4

OK, now that we've got a sample ship, let's take it out for a spin!  

Turn 2:
After some closing, it looks like the Galahad will be in range this
turn.
-Energy/Charge Phase: All the capacitors are full, don't bother rolling
- Movement: The superior piloting of Captain Job leads the Galahad to a
range
of 27" from a hapless escort.  (The escort has no screens!)
- Fire: The target is in the front arc, so the Galahad unloads with all
3
beams.	This drains 7 energy... 4 from the Cap 4 (0 remain), and 3 from
the
Cap 6 (3 remain).  First a die is rolled for the Beam-3: The die comes
up 4,
which inflicts 4 -0 (screens) - 2 (Range >24" = 2x12) = 2 damage
inflicted.
 The Beam 2s are rolled, resulting in a 3 and a 6.  The 3 inflicts 3
-0(screen) -3(Range >24" = 8*3) =0 damage, while the 6 inflicts 3 damage
(6-0-3).  In total, 5 damage was inflicted to the hapless escort.

Turn 3:
- Energy/Charge: A cruiser charges a d3 (i.e.. d6/2).  The Galahad adds
one
to the energy, for its extra 1 mass of capacitors.  The die is a 4
divided by
2= 2.  The Galahad charges 2+1 (from 1 mass of extra cap.)= 3.	Captain
Job
decides that two will be added to the Cap 4 (now @ 2) and the remaining
one
to the Cap 6 (total 4).
- Movement: A capital ship closes to 11"- a worse threat.  The Galahad
focuses on it (for some strange reason).  Unfortunately, it has shields
3!
- Fire: The Galahad only has energy enough for 2 beams, so it fires the
Beam
3 (from Cap 6 energy, now at 1) and a Beam 2 (drain the Cap 4 down to 0
again).  The Beam 3 roll is a 5, which inflicts (5 -3 -0), 2 damage. 
The
Beam 2 roll is a 3, which inflicts no damage (3 -3 -1) <0, 0 damage.

Notes:
   The mean damage of a beam is much higher than a battery (it's on the
order
of Railgun damage) of the same 1-arc weight.  The additional
disadvantages of
heavy arcs and charging seems to balance this quite a bit.  For B5, I'd
probably allow Beams to ignore interceptors/ PDAFs, but allow only
Beam-1s to
be Multi-arc (for humans).  Minbari would probably get longer ranges (6"
Beam-1, 12" Beam 2, 18" Beam 3), and possible Needle abilities. 
Shadows...
shudder, would have a +1 or 2 to their rolls with Minbari ranges, and
would
rarely fire before the range was 36"- near guaranteeing a hit (probably
including damage) at normal ranges.  (Vorlons, from the ramming type
attack,
I'd probably give lots of Beam-1s... high, close damage).

Scott (libald@aol.com)