Re: [OFFICIAL] Missile Ideas

At 15:10 01/04/97 +0100, you wrote:
>Following all the talk about missiles, here are some (very rough) ideas
>that we've been kicking around for FTIII - note these are not rules,
just
>concepts at this stage - what I'd be interested in is opinions on the
ideas
>and whether you think they'd add or detract from the game. ( I do have
some
>draft rules for these, but I'm not going to post them quite yet).
>
>FTIII Missile Ideas:
>
>We DROP the existing multi-turn duration missiles from the game,
replacing
>them with one or both of the following ideas:
>SALVO MISSILE BATTERIES: like oversized submunition packs, with a
launcher
>system and one or more "salvo" loads (expendable). Fires a group of
>hypervelocity missiles (probably 6 missiles per salvo) with only one
turn
>duration, moderate range (24-36"??); fired after order writing, but
before
>ships moved, salvo target position indicated by marker. If salvo is
within
>attack range (6"?) of an enemy after movement, missiles will attack;
target
>must allocate and use defences (PDAFs etc.?) against missiles BEFORE
firer
>rolls to see how many of salvo are on target (so could waste several
>defences shooting at 6 missiles when 5 of them are going to miss
>anyway...); each missile in salvo that is on-target AND gets through
>defences then rolls for damage (possibly high damage potential, as not
that
>many will get through?).
>
>JUMP TORPEDOES: BIG, expensive missiles that either have their own
(small,
>one-shot) Jump engines OR are "fired" into jump by ship's FTL drives
>(perhaps with suitable disadvantages for firing ship on turn of
firing);
>range is infinite in game terms (ie: anywhere on table), but deviation
>rolls are applied when missile pops out of jump (firer places "aim"
marker
>on intended spot, then roll to see how accurate missile is). When it
pops
>out (on same turn as launched), missile goes off immediately with a big
>(ish?) area effect - perhaps damage to all ships within 6", lessening
with
>actual distance?
>This would be big and nasty, but countered by several disadvantages -
>expensive, mass-heavy, unreliable (apart from deviation, may not come
out
>of jump at all, or (on really bad score) might even go off when
fired!?).
>I've used this sort of weapon in pre-FT games many years ago, and it is
fun
>because of its unpredicatbility - it is potentially dangerous to both
>sides...:)
>
>THESE ARE ONLY IDEAS (sorry to shout...), and may go no further, but
who
>would miss the "old" FT missiles if we replaced them with something
like
>these?
>Let me know!
>
>Jon (GZG).
>
>
>
Comments on the above -

FIRST : Please DONOT get rid of the present missiles, thay are a very
good
leveler making the smaller ships dangerous, Thay also give a Human fleet
a
more than evens chance agained a Kra'vak fleet. There is room for
improvement.

	1 : Move -	Aggree with those people who have suggested that
			the initial velocity should be : ( Velocity of
			firing ship ) + ( initial missile volicity ).

	2 : Life -	At present 3 turns, if the idea in 1 as used the
			'life' could be discribed in the amount of
velocity
			/ vector changes it could make.

	3 : Mass -	It has been suggested that the present mass of a
			missile should be split in two, 1 point for the
			missile and 1 point for the launcher. This
			would allow a ship to carry more missiles but be
			limited by the amount of launchers it may fire a
			turn. Of course if a launcher is distroyed no
more
			missiles may be fired.

	4 : Cost -	About right.

	5 : Damage -	About right.

	6 : Missile Types - Keep as present to keep it simple but as an
			extra rules to allow you to design your own
missiles
			could be added as follows :

			1 mass point = 10 missile cargo points.

			Standard Warhead = 2 Cargo points, 2D6 Dammage,
			Light Warhead = 1 Cargo point, 1D6 Dammage,
			EMP Warhead = 2 Cargo points. 

			Standard Guidence = 2 Cargo points.
			Needle Guidence = 3 Cargo points.

			Life ( volicity change of 18" ) = 2 cargo points
			per turn.
			Life ( volicity change of 24" ) = 3 cargo points
			per turn.

			Note : this would mean that a normal missile 
			uses 10 cargo points, as the present ones.

			This would allow ( With addisions ) a mix of
types.
			How about a mass 2 missile with needle guidence
(3 cp),
			Standard warhead ( 2 cp ) and a 5 turn life ( 15
cp )??

SECOND :	SALVO MISSILE BATTERIES, a halfway house between rocket
packs and
missiles? An execlent Idea with the provisions above. Could thay be
launched
for the same launcher as standard missiles? 

THIRD : JUMP TORPEDOES, Nasty, go very careful, one of these could
change
the complection of a games so much, the cost and mass would have to be
high,
also An execlent way to kill a space station.

FORTH : MISSILE DEFENCE, Any space navel, with any sense would produce
an
effective anti missile defence as soon as they appear. As the rules
stand
your only defences is 'C' beams, ADAF's and PDAF's, killing a missile on
a
roll of a six. A dedicated missile defence would kill on ( Possibly ) on
a
4, 5 or 6. If it hit it would be allowed a second go, killing on a 5 or
6.
Finally if this hit, a final chance would be allowed, Killing on a 6.
You
could also allow it to cover against fighters, killing one on a roll of
a 6.
The mass / Cost of the system would have to be defined with care. Also
can
it cover the ship it is mounted on ( As PDAF's ) or the ships around it
( As
ADAF's ). If this system is added, the cost and / or mass of the
missiles
may need changing to balance the rules. Also a missile defence system
will
provide some defence against Rocket Packs, properly by reducing the
amount
of Damage done. They would never beadle to kill all the incoming
rockets.

FIFTH : E.C.M. AND MISSILES, A noticeable omission is the fact the ECM
or
Wild Weasel Craft have no effect on missiles. I believe that they
should. (
Remember that one of the major defences against missiles today is
Jamming,
Chaff, or other Electronic soft kill systems ). ECM could reduce the
'attack' range of the missile, ( 1 Die, add 1 for each extra ECM system
in
active range, 1 = no reduction in range, 2 .. 3 = 1 inch reduction in
range,
4 .. 5 = 2 inch reduction in range, 6 .. 7 = 3 inch reduction in range,
8 +
= 4 inch reduction in range ). The wild weasel ship would work
differently -
any missile passing within 9 inches would be attracted to words a ship
using
a wild weasel system. A die roll would be allowed to see if it is
attracted
towards the ship, If it is normal attack procedures would apply. OK so
it
may get hit, but the loss of the ship would be minimal compared with the
effect on a larger ship. Of course you could always fit the wild weasel
ship
with ECM as well ..draw the missile off an then jam it so it cannot hit
you
and just goes flying pass.

SIXTH : FIGHTER SCREENS AGAINST MISSILES, If this is allowed I would
want to
see 'Anti fighter missiles'

One last point : Keep it balanced, otherwise Missiles will become the
weapons of choise replacing rail guns.

Graham L. Tasker