[FT] really quick 'n' simple sensor rules

Hello all,

some time ago I proposed a concept for a really simple sensor mechanic
for Full Thrust, based largely on the concept that most of the sensor
usage will be before the battle actually starts, and that the fleet with
the best sensor intelligence will have some advantage in its initial
positioning.

Well, I've given the idea some more thought, and expanded it a bit,
hopefully, what I've got is still useable :-). In most games, it becomes
a single dice roll at the beginning of the game.

The system is designed so that sensors _could_ play some part in 'pick
up' and tournament play, and also be useable in campaign play (but see
'Things to do' later).

Anyway:-

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Really Simple Sensors

The basic concept is that sensors are mostly used during the initial
set-up of the scenario.

The Basic Rules

Sensor Systems

Total up all the fire controls in a fleet, and divide by 10 (round to
nearest whole number), add the number of enhanced sensor systems in
fleet, and add 2x the number of superior sensor systems in the fleet.
Roll that number of d6's, scoring them as beam dice (re-roll 6s), and
total, this gives the sensor score of the fleet.
The player with the lowest Sensor Score must set up their fleet first.
For more than two players, the set-up is in order of lowest to highest.
Halve the difference in score between the Sensor Scores of the winner
and loser, rounded down, this is the number of free turns worth of
acceleration the winner can add to their starting move above the maximum
starting move of the scenario. For games with three or more sides,
compare everyone's Sensor Scores against the lowest to determine how
much acceleration they can add.
If no specific starting move is specified, then the maximum starting
move of any ship is half its total Sensor Score multiplied by its thrust
rating.

ECM Systems

Ships with ECM are represented as an 'unidentified bogey' during set-up,
and remain unidentified until they fire or get within identification
range (q.v.) of an enemy ship.
If a ship has area ECM, then all ships within the area are treated as
unidentified while within the area, or until one of the conditions for
identification given above occur.
Unidentified ships can still be targeted by any weapons within range.

Stealth, Decoy Drones and Weasel Systems

If a ship has stealth, then it should be represented by a smaller model
than its actual size until it reveals its capabilities (fires or gets
within identification range of an enemy ship). If stealth level 1, it
should be a model of a ship half its actual size, if stealth level 2, a
model of a ship one-quarter of its size.
Conversely, ships with weasel systems are represented by a model of a
larger class of ship then they actually are. Decoy drones just get a
model representing their decoy signature.
Decoy drones are moved as if they were real ships, with a thrust of 6,
and can be targeted by ship-scale weapons (despite being fighter or
missile sized, as they are generating a large sensor blip). Any weapons
hit will destroy a decoy drone. As an option, each decoy has 6 CEF, and
applying up to 6 points of main drive or manoeuvre costs 1 CEF, the
drone can spend up to 3 CEF per turn.

Optional Rules

Cloaking Devices

Ships with cloaking devices can, of course, begin the game cloaked.
However, if the fleet with a cloaked ship does not have the highest
sensor score, then the player should reveal the initial location of the
cloaked ship to any player with a higher score.
A player may attempt a sensor sweep to detect a suspected, cloaked ship,
this is carried out during the fire phase.. A ship must be activated to
carry out a sensor sweep, roll 1d6 for every enhanced sensor system, or
2d6 for each superior sensor system. Any roll of 6 will give the
location on the cloaked ship, or a roll of 5+ if the ship had been
successfully detected the previous turn.
Multiple ships can combine their sensor sweeps, and can use their basic
sensors to assist. In this case, all ships should wait until the last
one performing the sensor sweep is activated. The ships may use their
fire control systems to assist the sensor sweep, divide the number of
fire control systems being used this way by 10, rounding to the nearest
whole number, this gives the number of additional d6s that can be
rolled. Fire controls used in this way cannot be used to direct fire on
the same turn.
Ships with multiple fire control systems could use one to direct fire
normally, while have some or all of the others assist in a sensor sweep
later in the turn. The knowledge of the location of the cloaked ship is
maintained until the cloaked ship's next movement phase.

Sensor-Improved Targeting

Enhanced or superior sensor systems can negate the effects of stealth
systems if they are used to assist in targeting the stealth ship in
addition to the fire control system. An enhanced sensor system can
negate 1 level of stealth, while a superior sensor system can be used to
negate two levels of stealth. Multiple sensor systems used to target a
single ship have no cumulative effect.

Enhanced or superior sensors can also aid targeting ships in dust clouds
or nebulae (see More Thrust p.9), enhanced sensors used in conjunction
with a fire control will allow a successful lock-on on a roll of 3+,
while superior sensors allow a successful lock-on on a roll of 2+.
Neither sensor system will negate the screening effect of the dust or
nebula.

MASS and Points Cost

System				MASS	COST		Identification
Range
Basic Sensors			free with Fire Control	36 mu
Enhanced Sensors		3	12		48 mu
Superior Sensors		6	24		60 mu
Individual ECM Package		4	16		˜
Area-Effect ECM Package 	6	24		˜
Decoy Drone (Max. Signature 50) 1*	Signature/3	˜
Decoy Drone Rack		2	As Drone +3	˜
'Weasel' Decoy System		1	Signature/3	˜
* Occupies 1 MASS in fighter bay or Salvo Missile Magazine

Things to do:

Large 'fixed installation' sensor arrays for campaign play and special
scenarios.

Some system to allow for dedicated EW ships to direct fire of other
ships (ie. 'Sensor-Improved targeting where the sensors are on a
different ship to the weapons - of course, only applied vs. stealthed
ships or in nebulae ATM - might help vs. cloaked ships as well).

Sensor Drones

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Well, I hope this is useful for someone. IIRC, some proposed a sightly
more complex variant using cards.

Charles