Re: More needle beams stuff on [Stargrunt-Fullthrust] Digest Number 149

Allan Goodall wrote:

> On Fri, 23 Feb 2001 22:08:54 EST, Glenn M Wilson
<triphibious@juno.com> wrote:
>
> >Bottom line, most people find it unbalancing to use Needle Beams for
> >targeting core systems.  Okay, I am in a minority.  Been there
before.  I
> >will keep it specific to certain scenarios in my "Starguard
Conversion to
> >FT/DS2 Campaign" setting - where only the otherwise somewhat bland
> >extremely paranoid to the point of mild to moderate xenophobia
Nektons
> >will be routinely mounting Needle Beams on their ships.
>
> Well, it is unbalancing. One single needle beam shot could essentially
take
> out the entire ship. You would have people loading up on needle beams
only and
> targeting the core systems. The needle beams aren't expensive enough
for that.
>
> Now, as a scenario specific game, sure. Go for it! It's one of the
things I
> like about FT. It's very flexible.

PSB for needle beams not being able to hit core systems is twofold:

1)  Core systems have some redundancy, and are distributed a little. 
The command
facilities are not disabled by hits to the bridge, pilot house, CIC and
auxillary
control, they are disabled when the intercom finally has zero
functionality and
noone can see the big picture.	Life support is lost when enough of the
ship  is
vented to space to adequitely heat, cool, and pressurize the rest [life
support
core hit makes no sense unless turns are very long].

2) Core systems are a small enough volume of the ship that they can be
practically
shielded from needle beam fire.  Something must be proof against
needlebeam
energies, or it would not be possible to generate and focus the
needlebeam's