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Re: [FT] SMLs and Banzai Jammers

From: Alan E and Carmel J Brain <aebrain@d...>
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 14:29:04 +1000
Subject: Re: [FT] SMLs and Banzai Jammers

I've found SMLs to be almost completely innefective vs Banzai Jammers -
ie 28 pt craft which flock around the Big Boys to absorb the 5-6 SMLs
that otherwise home in on it.

Now this may be a good thing. Or not. In any event, assuming we want a
mechanic that would _reduce_ this "perfect defence" how would we go
about it?

One possibility is that at launch, the firer declares all of the SMLs
fired this turn as being either "normal" or "reduced gain".

If "reduced gain" is used, then the player rolls 1 die (only). Not one
per SML, but one, regardless of the number of SMLs launched.

Subtract 1, and Multiply the result by 15 (or don't subtract anything,
but multiply by 10 or some other combo to be determined by playtesting).
Any ship smaller in size than this figure is not a valid target, and
will be ignored by all SMLs that turn. Too bad if you wanted to shoot up
a CL and rolled a 6. Too bad if the only enemy within range is smaller
than the minimum, cos they won't home.

OTOH.... Capital ships are no longer effectively immune to SMLs when
accompanied by swarms of flies. But the effectiveness of SMLs vs other
targets is reduced, possibly to zero, as a penalty.

PSB justification: The targetting sensors of SMLs are already pretty
primitive - they can't even discriminate between targets, they just go
for the nearest one. Therefore, in order to seek out only the worthwhile
ones, they must 'reduce gain' on their sensors. This means that small
targets won't be detected. The die roll represents the opposing fleets'
ECM vs ECCM situation, which will vary from turn to turn. 
-- 
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