RE: [FT] WotW 2: EMP Weapons

> > =============
> > Ion Cannon [Dean Gundberg] (Star Ranger's Crossover Web Page)
> >
> > Mass and cost same as Class 2 Beam. Symbol is Beam symbol with "I"
instead
> > of number. Range 0-10" roll 2d6, 10-20" roll 1d6 - beam dice. Each
"hit"
is
> > not marked off the damage track but instead is the number of
threshold
rolls
> > the target ship must perform. All  Ion Cannon hits from a firing
ship
are
> > resolved one ship at a time. The threshold roll number is the same
as
the
> > target ship's next threshold level.
> >
> > Threshold rolls are made for the following systems in this order:
> > Screens
> > Special Electronics (Sensors, ECM, etc.)
> > Fire Controls
> > FTL Drive
> > Main Drive
> > (Back to top of list)
>
> Hmm... atypical range bands - but that's not a major problem (could
make
> it 0-9 mu and 9-18 mu to match the proposed new Sa'Vas'Ku range
bands).
> I take it that the list is used as follows: 1st check is screens (if
you
> have level 2,does it count as 1 or 2 checks?), 2nd is sensors/ecm,
third
> is fire control, etc.
> Hmm.. not sure about this one - needs more thought.

When I first used this weapon, I had it with 15" range bands, and they
were
too large and the Ion Cannons too powerful, so I cut them back to 10"
bands
and they seem to work better now and they don't dominate the way they
did,
though 9" bands would work too if that becomes a standard.

On an undamaged ship, the effects of this weapon are usually shrugged
off as
the 6+ threshold is hard to rell and the ships usually have lots of
damage
control left. As a ship takes a row or more of damage though, the Ion
Cannons get much more deadly.  They damage more systems and with fewer
DCPs
left, they tend to stay damaged and end up as mission kills floating in
space without fire controls and engines.

And to clarify, each system gets a check, so when 3 'hits' are indicated
on
a ship with Level 2 screens, the first 2 checks are done on the screens
and
then the 3rd check on special electronics (if any), if none, then on a
fire
control.

As to why I did a special list in a specific order, in trying to
simulate
ships from Star Wars, I wanted a weapon that fried electronics but left
hull
and non-electronic systems whole (plus I feel that rolling for all the
systems is over the top).  I did think of allowing one or the other
player
to choose but did not think that would be fair so I created the lists of
systems I thought should be effected and put them in order with the
systems
I wanted hit hardest on top.  In use, the list goes pretty quick with
the
firing player naming the next system type from the list, then the target
says I have 2 (or whatever) and rolls the dice to see if they are
knocked
out, then on to the next system if there are any more 'hits' to be
resolved.

Dean Gundberg

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