Re: FT III

>The biggest, most important and hardest to write addition for the third
>edition is going to be the section on detection, EW, and targeting.

Not really; there are already several versions out there of varying
complexity.

Since I haven't posted them for a while...

FT2.5 Sensor Rules
These rules are designed to be as transparent as possible to the
existing
FT2.5 system, while still providing almost exactly the same information,
with basic sensors, as the FT/MT system.
	The MT rules separate sensors and ECM into two different
systems,
but they are essentially two components of the same general system:
electronics. Detection and deception both use electromagnetic fields in
one
way or another to accomplish their goals.

EW Phase
	The Electronic Warfare phase takes place immediately after Step
5
(Move Ships) of the FT2.5 turn sequence.

Information
	Sensors provide information, while ECM acts to deprive the
sensor
of that same commodity. Sensors can provide the following levels of
information:
No Info(0): Ships are not detected at this level
Bogey(1): This gives the simple knowledge that something is out there,
but
no additional information. The opposing admiral must give the total
number
of ships in range to the sensing player, and place a marker at the
approximate center of the fleet.
Size(2): The size class of all ships of the opposing fleet within range
is
revealed at this level of information. Using the old FT/MT system, it
would
reveal whether the ship was an escort, cruiser, or capitol ship. As no
class system has been established for FT3 yet, feel free to experiment
with
your own classes. For those not quite so adventurous, try the following:

Class 0 - 1-4 Mass; Fighters or missiles
Class 1 - 5-16 Mass; Light Escorts
Class 2 - 17-64 Mass; Heavy Escorts and Cruisers
Class 3 - 65-256 Mass; Capitols
Class 4 - 257+; the really big boys

Note that Class 0 contacts would almost exclusively represent fighter
groups.

All(3): The specific class of vessel and its display sheet are revealed.

Electronics Systems
	As the system combines the functions of sensors and ECM, calling
it
an electronics package makes more sense than sticking to the old labels.
Every ship is equipped with a Class 0 electronics suite as part of the
basic hull cost (which also conveniently makes redesigning the FB1 ships
unnecessary). More advanced suites are massed in exactly the same manner
as
beam weapons:

Class 0 Electronics - Included with Hull (360°)
Class 1 Electronics - Mass 1 (360°)
Class 2 Electronics - Mass 2 (180°), +1 per extra 3 arcs
Class 3 Electronics - Mass 4 (60°), +1 per extra arc
Class 4 Electronics - Mass 8 (60°), +2 per extra arcŠ
Point Cost is Total Mass x 5

NOTE: This point cost "felt" right, but has not been tested for play
balance!

Sensor Arcs
	The more astute may realize from the cost table above that
sensors
in this system have arcs. It stands to reason that the more accurate and
sensitive the system, the more focussed it needs to be. So electronics
suites use the same arc system as beam batteries. However, with
electronics
it's possible to downgrade performance if a wider range of arcs is
needed.
	Downgrading to a lower class gives the base arc for the lower
class, but will not be less than the existing arc for the sensor that is
downgraded. For example, if a class 3 electronics suite with four extra
arcs (300°) were used as a class 2 suite, its arc would remain the same
instead of degrading to 180°.

Range Bands
	Electronics also use range bands the same as Beam weapons,
except
that they are doubled.
Band 1 - 24"
Band 2 - 48"
Band 3 - 72"
Band 4 - 96"Š

How Electronics Work
	The Class 0 System inherent to all ships is the one that will be
used most, and thus acts a basis for the system. A Level 0 system has
the
following performance:
Class 0 Passive
Range:	24"	48"		72"
Information:	All(3)	Size(2) Bogey(1)

Class 0 Active
Range:	48"	72"		96"
Information:	All(3)* Size(2)*	Bogey(1)
* on individual ships
	Ships may also use active mode. A ship receives one free
scanning
attempt per FireCon as part of the Class 0 System when in active mode.
The
scan reveals one more level of information for the target ship, but
usually
also reveals the scanning ship. Ships with higher class systems retain
this
"Class 0" ability regardless of how they employ their advanced suites.
	Ships using active mode are far easier to detect. A ship using
active sensors is detectable out to double the normal range. So an
active
Class 0 system is detectable to 144", and must reveal its size out to
96".

Advanced Electronics and ECM
	In passive mode, the class of the electronics suite gives the
additional number of range bands for each level of information, but only
for information levels equal to or less than their class.
Passive Sensor Ranges
Type		24"	48"	72"	96"	120"	144"
Class 0 All	Size	Bogey	None	None	None
Class 1 All	Size	Bogey	None	None	None
Class 2 All	All	Size	Bogey	None	None
Class 3 All	All	All	Size	Bogey	None
Class 4 All	All	All	All	Size	Bogey

Note: The Class 1 system adds the offensive/defensive capability though
its
passive performance is still equivalent to the Class 0 system.

	Active mode is where Electronics really comes into its own, but
when used, as with the Class 0 system, double the range at which
information is given to opposing ships. Thus, a ship using active mode
would reveal its size to a Class 2 system out to 144".
A ship using active mode has a number of dice equal to the class of its
electronics suite to use during the turn. Any unused dice at the end of
the
turn are lost. The dice, just like for beams weapons or PDFs, must all
be
allocated before any are rolled. Dice may be used on the ship itself,
other
friendly ships, or any detected enemy ships.
	For every 24" of range to the ship being affected, deduct one
die,
similar to beam weapons. So if an enemy ship were 30" away, and our ECM
ship with a Class 2 suite wanted to use both dice on it, the range would
reduce the total to one die.
	These dice are scored just like beam weapons, including re-rolls
on
a natural 6, with the following possible results:

1 Hit - Increase/Decrease effective firing range by 6", OR
increase/decrease effective sensor range by 24", OR falsify Level 2
information by 1 size class*
2-3 Hits - Increase/Decrease effective firing range by 6" and treat as
+/-1
level screens (2 max), OR increase/decrease effective sensor range by
48",
OR falsify Level 2 information by 2 size classes*
4+ Hits - Increase/Decrease effective firing range by 12" and treat as
+/-1
level screens (2 max), OR increase/decrease effective sensor range by
96",
OR falsify Level 2 information by 3 size classes*

*Reported size class may only be altered by the ship mounting the
electronics suite.