Re: Plasma Torpedos (was Cosmic Balance + FT)

On Mon, 25 Nov 1996 dgundberg@bcbsnd.com wrote:
  
>  >Plasma Torpedo, type 'S':
> >Mass: 3  Cost: 20, may only fire from one arc 
>  
> >The type S torpedo has a beginning strength of three dice.  
>
>
>  
>  >Plasma Torpedo, type 'R':
> >Mass: 5  Cost: 30, may only fire from one arc
>  
> >The type R torpedo has a beginning strength of 6 dice.  Only Capital
class 
> >ships may mount a type R torpedo.  
>  
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++

 
>  This version if a plasma torpedo is very similar to the one I was
working 
>  on.	I do have a few comments and changes that I think would make
this 
>  weapon more balanced.
>  
>  I think the type 'S' is with a mass of 3 has too much power for the
size.  
>  It has 3 times the damage potential of a pulse torpedo out to 18" but
has 
>  less mass and is almost as powerful as a wave gun.  The type 'R' is 
>  definitely more powerful than a pulse torpedo so should not be the
same 
>  mass, and should probably be more massive than a wave gun.  I would
change 
>  their mass and cost as follows:
>  
>  Type 'S' - Mass 8, Cost 25
>  Type 'R' - Mass 12, Cost 40
>  
>  The arming of a plasma torpedo seems a little quick with an 'S' being
able 
>  to fire after 1 turn 67% of the time when a wave gun fires on the
first 
>  turn only 17% of the time.  I would change the plasma capacitor to be
able 
>  to hold 2 times the base dice of the torp (6 for the 'S' and 10 for
the 
>  'R').  For each die damage of the torp when fired, 2 points from the 
>  charge would be needed, meaning the strength of the torps can be
varied (4 
>  charge pts = 2d6 torpedo, etc).
>

Actually I had thought of doing this originally.  I of course had the
charge rate faster.  One point equals one dice.  I agree that the arming
rate is too fast and I'll go with the 2 points per dice you suggest.  It
gives a better feel of the Romulon firing off its Plasma and then
ducking
for cover until they recharge.	

I don't think I agree with you on the increase mass however.  For one
thing I think that Pulse Torpedoes are way to week.  We have actually
gone
to a ' 2+ to hit at 0-6" ' that then increases by 1+ and six inches
system.  Even then I think that an A-batt gives better damage, even
allowing for shields.  The Wave gun can also hit more than one target,
is
not a seeking weapon (that can have real problems hitting anything), and
the Torps can be reduced by Batt fire very easily.  I guess the
operating
question would be: do you want an R-torp (at 12 mass) or a Wave gun (at
10 mass) on your ship.

The increase in arming cycle should help tone down the Plasma Torpedo to
a
more balanced weapon.  

In putting together mass and cost I used the missile as my template.  I
thought of the Plasma Torpedo as being a multiple fire missile and tried
to balance it against the one shot.  The S torp is more powerful (by one
dice) than the missile on the first turn, equal on the second, and less
on
the third (by one dice).  I figured that with multiple turn arming
(which
I must admit I really didn't have), less power at longer range, and an
increase in mass (you get three missiles for two S torps) that it wasn't
too bad.  Besides, you could fire all three missiles on one turn.  With
the R torp you could get 5 missiles for two torpedoes...  I don't know,
maybe the R torp is over the top at 5 mass.  

I guess it really comes down to how long your battles last.

I really don't think that one R torp (at 12 mass) would be as useful as
6
missiles however.  Still, I would like to see the R-torp have a larger
mass.  I would like to see a mass 10 R-torp because that is the size we
have for most racial spinal mount weapons and that is what I intended
the
R-torp to be, I'm just not sure it is that useful. 

>  Pseudo Plasma Torpedo
>  Only the 'R' would be able to fire pseudos and would only have 3
pseudos 
>  available.  To fire a pseudo torp, 1 charge point would be needed for

>  every 2 turns of life the pseudo torp would have rounded up (2 points
= 3 
>  or 4 turns, 3 points = 5 turns).  Pseudo torps may not be fired
during the 
>  same turn a true plasma torp is fired, even if there is enough power
left 
>  in the capacitor.  A pseudo torp acts as a true plasma torp until
revealed 
>  as a pseudo plasma torpedo when it takes a single point of damage
from 
>  beam fire and is destroyed or when it attempts to attack a target and
does 
>  no damage.
>  
>  
>  Those are my modifications. I think a little more tweaking may be
needed, 
>  like the number of pseudos available, but that is what playtesting is
for. 
>  Chad's campaign should give more info on how these play.  Any
comments?
>  Would a painted cotton ball make a good plasma torpedo miniature?
>  
>  Dean Gundberg
>  dgundberg@bcbsnd.com
> 
> 

I think it would make a very good Plasma Torpedo.  How would you paint
it
though?

How about an S-torp with a mass of five and an R-torp with a mass of
ten.
But we allow the Pseudo torpedos to work like this.  

Each launcher can launch any number of pseudo plasma torpedos (only 1
per
turn and not on a turn an actual torpedo is launched).	A pseudo acts
exactly as a normal torpedo with whatever number of dice the launching
player wishes, up to the max for that launcher.  Damage (reduction) from
Battery fire is recorded as if the pseudo was a normal torpedo.  A
pseudo
can only be revealed as being a fake if it is allowed to hit its target.
If the defensive battery fire reduces the amount of damage that would
have
been done to 0 or less then the status of the missile remains unknown to
the enemy fleet.  So you actually roll for damage against the ship and
subtract the defensive battery fire.  If the pseudo would have done
damage
it is revealed as a pseudo, if it would not have done damage then you
just
smile nicely and shrug (this of course takes some trust on your
opponents
part).	A pseudo can be powered up to any level for one point of
'energy'
from the capacitor.

We haven't actually used this yet.  It will probably appear as an enemy
'NPC' race in the campaign.  So I am rather interested in your
opinion (everyones that is).

Chad Taylor