IRe: More ideas on B5

Adam Delafield wrote:
> 
> Date sent:  21-AUG-1996 09:57:03
> 
> I've just been looking at those great counter sheets (Something to
> 'test' our new colour printer 8-)  ) and have been inspired to
> rework some ideas on weaponry in B5.
> 
> Try these for size. (Shields are totaled, fractions rounded down,
> max 3)
> 
> PDAF. Normal rules OR 0.5 shields 360
> ADAF. Normal rules OR 1 shields 360 OR 1 die vs ships within 6"
> C.	Normal rules OR 0.5 shields in specific arc OR anti fighter
>				      (needs a 5 or 6 to kill 1 fighter)
> B.	Normal rules OR 0.5 shields in specific arc
> A.	Normal rules OR 0.5 shields in specific arc
	
	I don't know if I like the idea of the heavier beam batteries
being
used as interceptors.  I don't think it has been done in the series
(correct me if I am wrong).
 
> Weapons may fire through any three (or fewer) adjacent arcs, with
> the exception of *daf which fire through 360 (as they represent
> multiple smaller guns)

	No problem here.
 
> Using specific arcs for shields means that angle of engagement becomes
> important (especially when you start to loose multi arc weapons). I
think
> Marks idea of using weapons in an alternate 'shield' mode is great.
> However, I am concerned that by dividing shielding into arcs, it may
> make things too complex. Note also that a small ship can have great
> shields, but should it be outnumbered and surrounded, it's toast.

	I love the idea of arc specific interceptors.  It
so....cannonical.
 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Big beam weapon.
> 

> Only one per ship max.

	Only one?  The Omegas carry a pair of beam cannons in front and
four in
the rear.  They can fire one at a time or together.  The Hyperion
cruisers (at least the current versions) carry at least one. 

> The gun charges by d6 (as per a wave gun) at the start of a turn
(after
> orders are written) to a maximum charge of 6. In any subsequent turn,
the
> player may declare that he is discharging his BREW (Big red energy
weapon).
> He must do this BEFORE orders are written. The energy signature of a
> weapon discharge is quite large, and you can bet everyone will want to
> a.) get out of the way and b.) throw everything into defensive fire.

	Declare fire before movement!  What fun is that?
 
> Now the fun bit. How much damage does it do? Well, 3d6 seems about
right.
> No not a 3 dice attack, but 3d6 totaled. The target ship, however,
does
> get to defend itself. It rolls 1 dice for each shield factor, plus
another
> dice for each 12" of range. At 6" range or less, the defender gets NO
> shields (can't fire plasma into the beams path fast enough to make a
> difference) You subtract this result from the firers damage. So
against
> well defended ships, that don't have their interceptors down, you have
> to get right down their throat.
	
	I don't think I can buy the interceptor vs. beam idea.	IMHO the
beam
should be able to cleave through a low tech interseptor screen without
much trouble.  I am sure the the Minbari, Vorlons and Shadows can offer
up some defense.

> 
> A ship that fires a BREW can not fire any other weapons in the same
> fire arc (Front or Rear). Note that although the weapon itself can
> only target in a 45 arc, the entire 90 arc is off limits, for both
> offensive and defensive fire (so shield factor is ZERO)

	How do you figure that?

Later,
Mark