Re: [FT]Star Trek rules?

On Mon, 25 Jun 2001 10:44:15 -0400 (EDT) Roger Books 
<books@jumpspace.net> wrote:

> This [suggested FT-ST conversion] sounds like you are trying to 
re-create SFB. In the original series, there were only ever two 
shields, forward and aft. <

I take it you're referring to lines like "Forward shields buckling" and 
the like? I can't remember any counter-examples, so I'll give you that. 
Or can I -- wasn't there an episode in which Kirk tells Sulu to "keep 
that good shield towards him," thereby implying that there are more 
than one, with a directional limit?

These days, of course, the tactical officer (or whoever) usually just 
refers to "shields", as though, despite the plural, there is only the 
one -- which would agree with the shield displays seen in the second 
movie (unless you think those dots each represent a single shield, in 
which case there are something like two or three _dozen_! <g>

> Phasers work fine as beams. Photons work fine as p-torps. Disruptors
work fine as beams also. Remember the most phasers we ever see fired 
are two. <

I agree about phasers and disruptors, although some differentiation 
gives the game a better feel. The SFSFW idea of disruptors being 
short-ranged but more powerful (e.g., a class b/3 disruptor has the 
range of a class-2 beam, but one more die at each range band) worked 
well. As regards 

> At most one photon. I don't remember a ship firing more than 
one disruptor. <

That's a bit iffy. The thing about photorps is that they have a high 
rate of fire -- one every couple of seconds, or even faster. That 
argues multiple tubes (not visible on screen) or a really rapid loading 
cycle. I can remember several instances of ships having more than one 
tube (movie ships in particular), and ISTR the Excelsior firing from 
both tubes during the final fight with Chang's ship over Khitomer.

As for disruptors, any TOS episode which showed a Klingon BC firing 
showed twin disruptor shots (one from each engine nacelle).

> Plasmas would need work. <

Nova cannons are sort-of large plasma torps (equivalent to the original 
Romulan BoP weapon), but rather too long-ranged, I think. House rule 
time, I guess.

Phil
----
"I think... I think I am! Therefore I am... I think?"
				       -- The Moody Blues