Re: [FT] Heavy Beams

Sean Bayan Schoonmaker wrote:

> OK, I've done the number crunching on these for balance and have come
up
> with something balanced fairly evenly, using Pulse Torpedos as a
basis...
>
> Full Thrust - Heavy Beams
>
> Heavy Beams consist of two (or more) systems on the SSD: the Beam
Power
> System (BPS) and at least one Beam Emitter (BE).
>
> The BPS is a combination of generator, capacitor, and discharger that
can
> store a number of
> Energy Points (EPs) up to twice its class rating. It can discharge any
> number of stored
> EPs through any given Emitter.
>
> The BPS generates power at the beginning of each turn , During Setp 1:
> Write Orders for All Ships. The BPS rolls two dice for each class
rating,
> which are scored like Beam dice. The result is the number of EPs added
to
> the BPS's capacitor, up to its maximum. For example, on a Class 2 BPS
the
> rolls are 2, 3, 5, and 6 (re-roll of 3). This generates (0+0+1+2) 3
EPs.
>
> When taking damage and a BPS fails a threshold check, they are not
> automatically knocked out of commission. Instead, after failing the
> threshold, roll one die:
> 1-2	  BPS looses all stored EPs
> 3-5	  BPS looses all stored EPs and its EP capacity is halved (the
second
> time this result is rolled causes destruction, as rolling a 6)
> 6	  BPS destroyed (any stored EPs are scored as additional
damage!)
>

I'm not sure I like this - having a second roll for a threshold check
breaks
the flow of the check (you can't just go blindly through every symbol on
an SSD
checking for a 4/5/6). I'd prefer to see it take the second damage
result each
time (ie lose all stored energy and halve capacity) which is analogous
to the
way damage is inflicted on manouevre drives.

>
> Beam Power System:
> Class 1 4 MASS  12 POINT COST
> Class 2 8 MASS  24 POINT COST
> Class 3 16 MASS 48 POINT COST
> ...the progression follows as for Beam weapons.
>
> EPs must be channelled through a Beam Emitter. When firing, each EP
> assigned to a BE allows one die roll. Subtract one from this die for
each
> full 6 MU of range, and the result is the damage done to the target.
> Emitters are affected normally by threshold rolls. Emitters fire
though
> only one arc.
>
> Beam Emitter:
> 2 MASS  6 POINT COST
>
> Comments? Suggestions?
>

Presumably a ship can have more than one BPS ? In which case should BEs
be
linked to a particular BPS in the same way as SMLs are linked to a
specific
magazine ?

Otherwise, good work Schoon (and Beth et al before that). I'm sure
Oerjan will
put these numbers through his magic FT-analyser and provide any
corrections
necessary ;-)

Tony