RE: Sandcasters

Or have them cover 2 arcs per shot (instead of a 1" radius). Disperses
after
1 round. No template needed, just note in orders SC: F, FS (for Sand
Caster
Forward and Forward/Starboard arc). And use 1mass 3cost (as suggested).
I
would make it like two points of armor instead of level-1 screen (makes
it
easy to account for all weapons).

Tradeoffs:
vs Armor: Better protection/mass. Limited arc and endurance.
vs Screen: Reduced cost and mass for emergency use.
-----
Brian Bell
bkb@beol.net
http://fly.to/fullthrust/      
-----

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kent Nordstrom [SMTP:knord@qi.ucsb.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 1:04 PM
> To:	gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
> Subject:	Re: Sandcasters
> 
> On the sandcaster issue:
> 
> Why not make 'em single-use screens?	Each "charge" is, say, 1 mass
and 3
> pts.	You can check off one or two boxes per turn, giving the effect
of
> level 1 or 2 screens, respectively, for that turn only.  The "screens"
> would
> also affect outgoing fire from the ship using 'em.  It doesn't give
the
> ability to defend another ship, but I think the PSB might have to
stretch
> a
> bit far to fill even a 1" radius with the amount of sand one would
> actually
> want to carry for defensive purposes.
> 
> However, it does provide a cheap way for ships like merchies to get
one or
> two turn's worth of screening (to avoid abuse on big ships where
screens
> are
> very massive and tons of sand would be more efficient than screen
> generators, the mass of each "charge" might be 1 per 100 mass of ship,
> rounded up).
> 
> Keep 'Em Flying,
> 
> Kent
>