Re: Sand

  Once again, my modified version is based on Phil's.  Comments on his
and my versions and the topic in general are included.

Phillip E. Pournelle writes:
@:) Sand Caster:
@:)	    Mass:   1
@:)	    Cost:   3
@:)	    Arc:    Single, fixed.

  My version would have a cost of 1 (maybe 2), because I am about to
castrate your weapon like nobody's business and people still need a
reason to buy it.

@:)	    When fired delivers a Sand Cloud 3 inched in Diameter in
@:) the area adjacent to the ship firing it.  Lasts three turns before
@:) dispersing.  For Newtonian Games it has uses the originating
@:) ship's Point of Origin (Velocity marker) for the first turn and
@:) then its own following.

  I think if I were writing it I wouldn't have it disperse (wait a
minute I'm not done yet) because that's simpler.  Also I am thinking
sand clouds should come in varying sizes (and therefore varying
densities): 1, 2 or 3 inches in diameter.  Please ignore the fact that
I am now adding a square factor into the existing cube-based
mathematics.

@:)	    Sand causes 1d3 Damage per inch per 12 inches of velocity
@:) of ships travelling through it, minus shields and armor.  Sand
@:) also disrupts beam weapons.  For each cloud of sand fired through
@:) add one screen level to the target.

  I think, given the discussion on the ridiculous amounts of sand that
would be required to make a weapon like this work, that sand should
cause damage ONLY IF it actually contacts the target.  So, any object
travelling through a diameter 1 Sand Cloud is hit by the sand only if
it rolls a 1-3 on a d6.  With a diameter 2 Sand Cloud, 1-2 must be
rolled and with a diameter 3 Sand Cloud, a 1 must be rolled.  If the
object is hit, it immediately takes 1d3 points of damage, REGARDLESS
OF VELOCITY.  For purposes of this rule, assume missiles and fighters
have 1 damage point, and heavy fighters have 2.  Armor provides no
defense against sand damage but each level of screening will reduce
the damage by one point.

  Beams are not disrupted when firing through sand, however pulse
torpedoes have the usual chance of hitting a sand particle and they
will disperse (detonate) if that occurrs - the torpedo will not hit
the target in this case.

@:)	    Cloaked ships are revealed when they cross through a Sand
@:) Cloud.

  Not in my version.  The sand here is so dispersed it's not even
visible itself.  You wouldn't be able to see anything moving through
it.

@:)	    Sand Clouds are dispersed when targeted by Pulse Torpedo
@:) launchers or hit by area effect weapons.  If you have large
@:) warhead weapons such as mega mines, or big bomber missiles, these
@:) disperse Sand Clouds as well.

  Again, not in my variant.  Nova Cannons and Wave Guns will destroy
sand clouds, because they vaporize everything in a rather large area
that includes the Sand Cloud.  No other weapon will do this.

@:) Sand Missile:
@:)	    Mass:   2
@:)	    Cost:   6
@:)	    Acts the same as any missile in the particular rule system
@:) in use (i.e. Newtonian or Non).  However its warhead is a Sand
@:) Cloud 3 inches in Diameter.  In a Newtonian Universe the Sand
@:) Cloud retains the velocity of the original missile.  In a
@:) Non-Newtonian Universe it remains in place.  All Sand Clouds
@:) disperse after three turns of existance.

  As per Phil's rules except that the controlling player chooses the
size of the cloud at the time of detonation and Sand Clouds do not
disperse.

@:) Side Arm Missle:
@:)	    Mass:   1
@:)	    Cost:   3
@:)	    Acts as a mini missile.  Operate for two rounds in
@:) Non-Newtonian and has thrust for Two rounds in Newtonian.  Warhead
@:) is a sand cloud 1 inch in Diameter.
@:) In a Newtonian Universe the Sand Cloud retains the velocity of the
@:) original missile.  In a Non-Newtonian Universe it remains in
@:) place.  All Sand Clouds disperse after three turns of existance.

  I would not include this weapon in my system.

  So I can hear the complaints already.  The two big problems will
probably be the non-dispersal and the non-velocity-dependent damage.
Basically I think these things need to be dropped in the interests of
simplicity.  The fact that the clouds don't disperse isn't a problem
for bases as long as they have level 3 screens.  If they don't, well
they should expect to get whacked anyway.  Calculating impact velocity
is difficult and time-consuming.  My solution is to have the sand do
constant damage (assume that the particles are small and would have to
be going WAY faster to increase their damage) and to consider an
object to have "passed through" the cloud as long as their paths
crossed during the turn.  I think this simplifies things and is more
in line with the FT ideal of a simple and fun game system.

  Comments?  Flames?

-joachim