PenAid SMs

...right. 

Last week, we discussed two main versions of "jammer salvo missiles" or
"penetration aid salvo missiles". Both versions made the "real"
missiles as hard to intercept as Heavy Fighters; note that this makes
C1 batteries ignore the jammers. I assume that the full-size FC
controlling the C1 batteries is powerful enough to see through the
jammers while the PDS's integral targetting systems aren't - or
something like that :-/

Both versions get better the more PDS the target has (both its own, and
those on any escorting ADFC units).

The first version was one full SM salvo jamming nearby PDS targetting
sensors (my variant of it had all enemy PDS within 6mu of the jammer
salvo affected; Laserlight's was a bit unclear but I think that was
what he meant as well). This is worthwhile (ie, better than what you'd
get if the jammer salvo was replaced with a standard one which also hit
a non-decoy target) if there are 15 or more PDS defending the
target(s), and it seems to be fairly independent on the actual number
of salvoes on target. While 15 PDS isn't exactly uncommon given how
popular ADFC is, I believe it is high enough to let the jammer salvo be
the same Mass and cost as normal SM salvoes.

The second one had one missile in each SM salvo carry a PenAid pack
(which only aids the missiles in its own salvo). Its efficiency varies
a bit depending on how you determine the number of armed missiles on
target, but it sounded as if the consensus was that the salvo hits with
1D6-1 missiles. This breaks even if the target defends against the
salvo with 3 PDS; if more, it gets better than a normal SM salvo, if
less it gets worse (but then the target tends to be in trouble anyway).
I *think* it would be OK at the standard SM cost, but it may need a
slight cost increase (to 4x or 5x Mass of the salvo).

Later,

Oerjan Ohlson
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Hen3ry