Re: [FT,DSII] From MT Re: Ortillery

In message <20020101.151950.10207.0.triphibious@juno.com>
	  Glenn M Wilson <triphibious@juno.com> wrote:

> On Mon, 31 Dec 2001 11:40:37 -0800 (PST) John Atkinson
> <johnmatkinson@yahoo.com> writes:
> <snip>
> >Or . . . we can go off of the little-remembered and
> >rarely used module in More Thrust that treated them as
> >pocket nukes.  I can't for the life of me find my copy
> >of MT, but perhaps some kind soul can repost those
> >rules and we can hash out the PSB behind them.
> > 
> 
> Page 4 of MT saith:
> 
> PLANETARY BOMBARDMENT SYSTEM (ORTILLERY):
> 
> This is a system used for Ground support fire from orbiting Starships
or
> Monitors.  It has no function in Space Combat, and cannot be used as
an
> anti-ship weapon.
> 
> Their use of this system is fully described in the section on
Ortillery
> Fire in the "DIRTSIDE II" INTERFACE rules given on P.17; if you are
using
> FULL THRUST with a different Ground Combat rules system then the rules
> given should allow you to relate this weapon to your chosen game with
a
> little thought.
> 
> Additional Analysis:
> The symbol for Ortillery resembles a "Iron Bomb" icon pointing 'down'
> within a triangle.  Could this imply some form of deadfall or PGMs
> (precision Guided Munitions)?
> 
> Page 17 summary:
> 
> Two types of direct fire support:
> 
> Non-specialized ships (Beam)
> Frigate plus escorts - one "converged sheaf" burst pattern
> Cruisers - two of above
> Capital ships - three of above
> Deviation as normal for Ortillery
> Attack as 'normal artillery' except 3 chits per element in the zone.
> HEF for Infantry and MAK for vehicles
> After attack, place NUKE marker at site - 2" radius keeps unprotected
> troops and vehicles out of that zone.

A possible 'upgrade' to this for Post-FB ships is:
1 'converged sheaf' burst per firecon dedicated to ortillary usage.
Number of Chits dependent on how many beam dice in each 'converged
sheaf' (applies for beams, stingers, and pulsars) - 1 chit per dice
seems about right - we would need to determine how many chits for
non-beam weapon systems.
Possibly vary chit validities dependent upon atmosphere density/opacity
(denser, more opaque atmospheres give more protection):

Say (against all targets):
Atmosphere	Chit Validity (exposed) (dug in)	Example
Vacuum		All x2			All		Moon
Thin		All			Red + Yellow	Mars
Normal		Red + Yellow		Red		Earth
Thick		Red			Yellow
Very Thick	Yellow			Ineffective	Venus!

> 
> Planetary Bombardment Monitors  - 
> One attack per system per ship per turn over area. *
> **4" radius**
> Four chits per element
> damage as above (HEF/MAK)
> Nuke after glow same as above (2")

Leave this as it is
> 
> * Fire availability :
> 
> Recommended - roll D6 (available on that turn and every 6 turns there
> after to represent PBM moving at "low Orbit" i.e., not geostationary"!

One idea I've considered, allow a number of choices for orbit, as
follows:

Extremely Low: skimming the upper atmosphere, may be close enough to
provide precision ground support?
At this level, the ship may not orbit at all, but could 'hover' using
main drive to counter the planets gravity.
Attacks are as for Low orbit, but no deviation is rolled.

Low: within 12mu of planet surface - rules above apply

Medium: 12-24mu from planet surface
reduce chits by 1 per beam,
Planetary Bombardment System (Ortillary) is reduced to 2 chits
Deviation rolls are d4/d10
Beaten Zones are unaltered

High: 24mu-36mu (includes geostationary on Earth)
reduce beam chits by 2 per beam
Ortillary is reduced to 1 chit
Deviation rolls are d4/d12
Beaten Zones are unaltered
Can hang over battlefield indefinitely (if orbit geostationary)

Another idea is to give certain FT weapons specialised
capabilities/restrictions when used against planets:

Salvo Missiles are not designed to penetrate atmospheres, but can load
Planetary Bombardment Missiles - these are equivalent to HARs
HEF, MAK, biochem or nuclear warheads are optional, and use the DS2
rules

Similarly for MT missiles

Needle Beams can target individual units, treat as a HEL-3 with Basic
firecon that can target anything in play that is not covered from above?

Pulse Torps are treated as a Beam-3, but are less effected

Alien Weapons
K-Guns - inflict 2 chits per class, at all orbital ranges, increased
deviation for higher orbit still applies
No NUKE counter is placed.

Stingers - as beams
Pod Launchers - 'Hammer Pods' are treated as Ortillary, except that a
BIOCHEM marker is left instead of a NUKE marker

Pulsars - as beams
Plasma Bolts - the energetic plasma is two diffuse to penetrate deeply
into even a thin atmosphere, OTOH, using the 'standard' scale of 1mu =
1000km, a plasma bolt can envelope an entire planet, especially one
small enough not to have an atmosphere.

So if one is used against a vacuum planet, EVERYTHING draws 3 chits per
class of plasma bolt, all chits being valid!

> 
> Sorry but I don't type well and my arthritis is being mildly cranky so
I
> summarized the 15 paragraphs on page 17!
> 
> Oh, has anyone tried the MT rule (page 17) for fighters in CSS (CAS
from
> space)?
> 
> 
> Gracias,
> Glenn/Triphibious@juno.com
> This is my Science Fiction Alter Ego E-mail address.
> Historical - Warbeads@juno.com
> Fantasy and 6mm - dwarf_warrior@juno.com
> 
Well, I hope that this lot is useful for someone, or at least sparks
some ideas :-)

Charles
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