Re: Area effect 'arc-o-death' weapon idea

On Sat 05 Aug, Sean Bayan Schoonmaker wrote:
> >Genre category weapon.
> >The 'Shockfront' area effect energy field weapon (SFAEEF)
> >(I'm trying desperately to avoid any use of the word 'wave' in this
weapons
> >name :-)
> 
> I'd go ahead and use "wavefront." It's a better description. Perhaps
> Wavefront Energy Field (WEF) would be far less ungainly.
Yup, I like that.
> 
> >Prototype #1 - low power/short range varient.
> >This weapon has a single fire arc, and fires an expanding energy
field that
> >strikes all targets within the fire arc that are in range (doesn't
> >necessarily do damage though, read on...) When fired, any ships in
the fire
> >arc of the weapon (friend -or-foe, it's indescriminate) may take
damage, for
> >each ship, roll a number of dice equal to the class of the SFAEEF,
reduced
> >by 1 for every full 6 mu of range, and score them _exactly_ as beam
damage,
> >counting screens, armour, etc. as usual.
> 
> I like this so far. Simple but different.
> 
> >Alternatively, just roll one lot for the weapon, then figure effects
on
> >ships on a case-by-case basis, when reducing the number of dice as
you cross
> >range bands, discard the _largest_ dice result. (you _might_ want to
cut
> >the MASS/COST down if you use this option)
> 
> IMO, a bad idea. A separate roll for each ship is far better.
In hindsight, I agree, this option existed simply to speed play.
> 
> >I can't decide if you need a firecon to fire this monster :-(
> 
> I'd say "Yes."
My instincts agree.
> 
> >Ok, the bottom line:
> >Class  MASS
> >1	   10
> >2	   30
> >3	   90
> >every additional class is triple the MASS of the previous.
> >COST is MASS x4
> 
> I'm not going to do the math at the moment to figure if these are
decent
> figures or not.
I based cost on about 10 1-beams, with MASS halved to represent half
size range bands, 10 PDS
and 10 FireCons - as it can hit multiple targets (I pulled the number 10
out of the air).
I then munged the numbers to allow for things like the weapons complete
lack of discrimation,
Then I rounded the numbers a bit.
> 
[snip variens #2 & #3]
> 
> >Prototype #4 - low power/long range/'slow'
> [snippage]
> 
> Too complex. Too much of a hassle.
Designed to emulate LEXX main gun (toned down a bit :-)
> 
> >Ok, I based the math on a lot of beams and firecons, does anyone
think these
> >things are any use? if so, are the costs right? or wildly off? (won't
get a
> >chance to playtest them myself for a while :-( )
> 
> Like I said, no idea about the cost, but I like the mechanic far more
than
> the existing Nova and Wave weapons.
> 
> 
> Schoon
> 
Thanks
Charles

-- 
Sig eaten by hard drive :-(