Re: [OFFICIAL] new ideas!

On Sat, 22 Feb 1997 hal@buffnet.net wrote:

> If I might add a thought regarding firing arcs...
> 
>   In stead of allowing a large number of forward and rearward firing
> batteries, might I suggest that the arcs of fire have a cost that is
cheaper
> for side firing rather than a straight cost?

Single arc weapons should be significntly cheaper than multi-arc
weapons, 
regardless of direction they point.  A fixed battery should be cheaper
in 
terms of size, ease of mounting and maintenance when compared to a 
turreted model.  The direction of mounting should not have any effect on

cost or ease of placement. Slanting arc choice by artificial price 
increases limits the choices you can make especially if you're trying to

adapt FT to another type of universe such as ST, SW or B5.

>   Another thing to mention, is the concept of having limitations on
forward
> firing batteries that can hit a wide frontal arc.  Visualization
questions
> that pop into my mind is this:
> 
> "hmmm, that ship bears 4 weapons, all bearing with a 270 degree arc
centered
> on the forward arc!  That baby must be wider than it is long!!!"

Not at all, just think Star Destroyer wedge shape.  I can mount 4
turrets 
on top along the center line, each has a 270 degree arc of fire,
actually 
with the six arc model they would each have 5 arcs or 300 degree arc of 
fire.  There are innumerable shapes for starships that allow large 
amounts of weaponry to be mounted to provide maximal coverage.

In a previous post someone mentioned that only 2, 4 arc weapons are 
physically possible on a starship.  This is just plain wrong.  Although 
objects can not occupy the same space at the same time, they can occupy 
adjacent areas.  To generate unlimited numbers of 4-arc weapons, all you

need is unlimited turrets stacked on top of each other, a la machine gun

turret on top of a main battle tank.  The ship would look ridiculous but

it's not impossible to have a giant cylinder composed of dozens turrets 
stacked on top of each other. Virtual 4-arc weapons could be generated 
using long tethers or booms to place the weapons farther away from the 
main body, reducing the amount of visible arc blocked by the body of the

ship.  Although not true 4-arc capablity, the difference may be small 
enough that it would be allowable.

	I think that allowing rear arc weapons to only fire when thrust 
is not applied is reasonable, although I would like to see some kind of 
advantage to attacking from the rear arc, perhaps the option of
attacking 
the engines directly instead of having to chew through a threshold roll.
 
This would make protecting your rear much more vital than it is now and
a 
lot more incentive to maneuver.

I would also like to see mini-swarm type missiles along the lines of 
those suggested for anime type games or even Honor Harrington
conversions.

--Binhan Lin