[FT] Fire and Forget MT missiles (was MT missile control...)

G'day guys,

A few more unsolicited thoughts on missile guidance and targeting in FT
from
Derek.

Cheers

Beth
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you're playing a game of FULL THRUST without the advanced sensor
rules or
your own home grown house rules for sensors then you don't have to worry
about
the following discussion. Why? The answer is simple, you see everything
on the
playing area, and you don't have to roll for a sensor lock-on before
firing at
a target.

In this situation the MT missile rule on page 3 of MORE THRUST. "One
ship may
launch any number of missiles in one turn, subject to the number it is
carrying; each missile may have a different target, as they are guided
by
their
onboard AIs and their own fire controls." is fine, the missiles get to
'see'
just as far as anything else on the playing area so can be launched at
any
target on the playing area.

The only modification to this I would suggest is to write down the
missile
target at the time of launch. Why? Simple, it ensures honesty, I don't
mean to
upset anyone but some people will take advantage of the paperless system
and
have their missiles change to more opportune targets after launch (for
example;
the intended target is destroyed or goes FTL before the current wave of
missiles hit. All of a sudden the missiles deviate from their course and
move
toward a 'new' target.) With a written record there's no problem.

But if you're using sensor rules things start to get interesting.

Let me ask a question, what is the range of the sensor/fire-control
system on
board the missile? This is important because it determines the range at
which
the missile can be FIRED and then FORGOTTEN.

At the moment I wouldn't have the missile's sensor range being any
better than
that of a fighters, under the sensors rules I've being developing (based
on
discussions on the list) I've given fighters a passive sensor range of
18
inches and an active range of 27 inches (we use 1inch = 1000km).

If the missile has the same sensor ranges then it will be unable to
launch at
targets beyond the 27-inch range, why? It can't see the target. In order
to be
successfully launched at a target beyond it's own sensor range it will
need to
be guided by either the launching or some other friendly ship or unit
(fighters?), until the target can be detected by the missile's own
sensor/fire-control system. The guiding ship or unit has to have a
working
fire-control system and have the target within sensor range (I'm
assuming that
fighters have the equivalent of a fire control-system).

Of course another way to launch at targets beyond the missiles sensor
range is
to allow some sort of inertial guidance. The launching player would have
to
pre-plot the missile course at the time of launching, the missile would
travel
this course until its endurance is expended.

As the missile travels along the pre-plotted course potential targets
will
come
into the missile's sensor range; there are several options which can be
used to
determine whether the missile will accept a possible target as a valid
target
and attack.

The missile may simply attack the first target that comes into it's
sensor
range this may be modified by allowing IFF identification to prevent the
accidental targeting of friendly vessels. Mass can be a factor, the
launching
player can specify a mass limitation, for example, attack only targets
above
mass 50. The missile will discount all possible targets of mass 50 or
smaller.
The launching player could even specify the exact ship, attack only
targets
resembling the superdreadnought 'Tiger', this would only be possible if
the
launching player had good sensor information (a sensor roll resulting in
you
getting to see the SSD of the ship you want to target). The launching
player
could also designate where and when along its course the missile will
start
searching for a target (terminal active homing?) or whether it will use
active
or passive sensors.

Like all things in GZG games, it comes down to what you want to do (and
how
you
want to do it).

Derek.

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Elizabeth Fulton
c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
GPO Box 1538
HOBART 
TASMANIA 7001
AUSTRALIA
Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
Fax (03) 6232 5199 International +61 3 6232 5199

email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au